Birth Injuries Caused By Delayed Cesarean Section

When a baby is being delivered, the medical professionals who are attending the birth must continuously assess the health of the baby and the mother, as well as the progress of labor.  Many mothers desire a natural birth, and medical professionals should do what they can to help each mother deliver naturally when it is safe to do so. However, if the health of the baby or the mother appears to be in danger, swift action and medical intervention may be required. The fastest way to remedy various dangerous situations which may arise during labor and delivery is the emergency cesarean birth, or emergency C-section.

Unfortunately, medical professionals sometimes wait too long to order an emergency C-section. Sometimes, emergency C-sections are delayed because of the hospital’s concerns over whether the mother’s insurance will cover the procedure. At other times, an emergency C-section may be ordered promptly, but not performed within the thirty minute time frame which is considered by many medical professionals to be the applicable standard of care. This can happen when birthing centers are short-staffed, or when all of the operating rooms are unavailable. Depending upon the type of emergency situation that is present, the C-section may even need to be performed within an even shorter time frame. A failure to react with the appropriate amount of urgency can be harmful, and even fatal. If a C-section is delayed for any reason in an emergency situation, serious injury, disability, and even death may result.

Extended labor is one situation in which a baby or a mother may experience distress which would necessitate an emergency C-section. Fetal heart monitors are routinely used during labor and delivery, and these monitors help medical professionals to see changes in the baby’s heart rate which would indicate a need for an emergency C-section. If the baby is not getting enough oxygen, an emergency cesarean birth can make the difference between life and death. Other situations where emergency C-sections are needed include problems with the umbilical cord and cases of placenta previa or placental abruption.

A variety of birth injuries can occur as the result of a delayed emergency C-section. Cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, and mental retardation are a few of the possible results. When a child is born with one of these conditions, it is possible that they may require special care and accommodations throughout their entire life. When an emergency C-section is ordered and there is a delay in getting the operation underway, doctors may try to rush through the surgery. In their haste, they may cause serious injury to the mother or the baby. There is also the danger that either the baby, the mother, or both may die when a cesarean birth is delayed in emergency circumstances.

If someone that you love has been injured or killed because medical professionals waited too long to perform an emergency C-section, you need the assistance of a knowledgeable Tennessee birth injury attorney. The experienced Tennessee birth injury lawyers at Bailey & Greer, PLLC would like to learn more about your case. We can answer your questions, explain your options, and help you decide how to proceed. Dealing with the pain, suffering, disability, or death of a loved one after a delayed C-section can be costly and stressful. We can help you to pursue the recovery that you deserve so that you can focus on giving your child the care that they need. To learn more, call us at 901-680-9777 to schedule a time to discuss your case.  At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.

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