The process of delivering a baby is naturally stressful for everyone involved. Parents, doctors, and nurses all have a lot on their minds in these crucial moments. In that intense situation, everyone should have the health and safety of the newborn baby as a top priority. When there is a failure to monitor fetal distress during labor, it can lead to doctors missing signs of serious problems, sometimes with costly and tragic results.
When medical staff fail to adequately monitor for signs of fetal distress before, during, or after labor, this can result in injury, illness, or wrongful death. A Michigan birth injury attorney from Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, can seek justice and restitution from those responsible. We can go over birth injury laws with you, assert your rights in court, and explain your legal options so that you can focus on recovering from your experience.
If a Michigan Hospital Failed to Monitor Fetal Distress During Labor, Hire a Birth Injury Lawyer
After your special day doesn’t go as planned due to negligence by doctors, nurses, or hospital administrators, the choice to hire a birth injury lawyer can be crucial.
Your first instinct after such a challenging and exhausting experience may be to focus on your family and simply accept that things didn’t go according to plan. This is understandable, but it’s also important to understand the value of a claim for failure to monitor fetal distress. Penalties in these medical malpractice cases don’t just hold negligent doctors and hospitals accountable; they can also result in substantial support for you and your family in this trying time.
The Importance of Monitoring for Signs of Fetal Distress
It can be easy for fetal distress to go unnoticed. Even a parent who feels a strong bond with the life growing inside them can’t hope to know exactly what their unborn child is feeling or experiencing. When medical workers fail to adequately monitor fetal vital signs before making medical decisions, outcomes can be disastrous.
According to a study in the National Library of Medicine, prenatal stress doesn’t just have negative consequences for your newborn child; it also impacts their health in ways that can reverberate across their entire lifetime. A Chinese study similarly showed that fetal distress causes serious long-term health risks, like heart disease and diabetes, and that the issue cannot be solved merely by educating pregnant women and giving them access to modern medical care.
We all want to believe we’re putting our families into the most capable care when we choose a doctor, but the unfortunate reality is that fetal distress is all too often the product of medical negligence. When your birthing team fails to adequately monitor for signs of fetal distress, and this results in injury to your baby or yourself, you could hold the hospital liable in a court of law.
Some possible long-term consequences of birth injuries caused by a failure to monitor for fetal distress include:
- Long-term risk factors for heart disease
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) leading to cerebral palsy
- Organ damage or failure due to prolonged lack of oxygen
- Seizures
- Stillbirth and wrongful death
The possible underlying causes of fetal distress during the birthing process are as widely varied as the potential negative outcomes. They include:
- Umbilical cord placement (such as becoming wrapped around the baby’s neck or head)
- Placenta injuries or ruptures
- Undiagnosed infections
- Getting stuck in an awkward position during the birth process
Without monitoring the fetus for heart rate, oxygen levels, and signs of movement, doctors can fail to notice serious issues like these, leading to delayed treatment and exacerbated health consequences. If you or your baby has been harmed due to a bad experience in the birthing unit, you may have grounds for filing a medical malpractice claim.
FAQs About Failure to Monitor Fetal Distress During Labor in Michigan
What Are the Complications of Fetal Distress?
The potential complications of fetal distress are many and widely varied. These situations put newborn babies at risk of injury during the birth process, such as brain damage or organ failure due to inadequate oxygen intake. Fetal distress itself can also be linked to lifelong issues with diabetes and cardiovascular health.
Why Don’t People Want Fetal Monitoring During Labor?
There are many potential reasons why someone might not want fetal monitoring during labor, but most medical and neonatal authorities do strongly recommend using modern medical equipment to closely monitor the health of both the baby and the mother during labor. Reasons why someone might resist fetal monitoring equipment include wanting to have as “natural” a birth as possible, but these desires should be carefully weighed against the benefits provided by modern medical technology.
What Are the Signs of Fetal Distress?
The signs of fetal distress can be different from one situation to the next. Every person is unique, and that goes for fetuses and newborn babies as well, meaning they might express themselves in a variety of ways. Excessive or agitated movement is one potential sign, while a total lack of movement is another. It’s wise to get personalized advice directly from a trusted doctor if you have concerns about fetal distress.
Is Fetal Monitoring Necessary During Labor?
Fetal monitoring is necessary during labor if you want the strongest chances for a safe, healthy delivery process. By monitoring your baby’s vital signs during the delivery process, any unforeseen issues can be quickly analyzed and handled, thanks to doctors having immediate access to actionable data about your baby’s key health factors.
Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC: Michigan’s Trusted Birthing Injury Attorneys
If you or your newborn baby suffered injuries or disabilities during labor and delivery because medical staff failed to adequately monitor for signs of fetal distress, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice case. The same goes for situations where the hospital did monitor your child, but staff nonetheless caused an injury by conducting this monitoring in a neglectful fashion. When you’re ready for powerful legal help, contact Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, for a consultation.
