Medical Malpractice Birth Injuries: Delayed C-Section

Baby in Intensive Care unit with tube in nose

A C-section or Cesearean section, is an alternative to a vaginal delivery.  A C-section maybe scheduled in advance for a  variety of reasons, or may be performed in an emergency situation due to a problematic labor.  A patient relies on the obstetrician and hospital staff to take decisive action during labor if signs that a cesarean section should be considered arise.

During the labor and delivery stage, the obstetrician and medical staff should continually monitor the “fetal monitoring strips”, which track the baby’s heart rate. The fetal heart rate monitoring helps detects changes in the normal heart rate of the baby. Certain changes may indicate potential issues. Most importantly, certain changes in the fetal heart rate may indicate that the fetus is not receiving adequate oxygen.

It is up to the medical staff to keep a close eye on the fetal monitoring and to decide which treatment may be necessary if there are concerning tracings. A lack of adequate oxygen to the fetus is obviously a serious issue which must be addressed, such as performing a C-section. Unfortunately, doctors and medical staff sometimes fail to order a timely C-section.

A delay in performing a C-section can be very dangerous to the baby. Some consequences of failing to timely perform a C-section include hypoxic brain injury, cerebral palsy, and even death. A child who suffers a brain injury at birth due to a lack of oxygen may suffer permanent physical and developmental disabilities. The knowledgeable and compassionate Napoli Shkolnik  medical malpractice lawyers can help you review your legal options to ensure your legal rights are protected.

If you believe your child has suffered a birth injury due to a delayed C-section, you must not delay in consulting with attorneys who are experienced in such matters.  The medical malpractice attorneys at Napoli Shkolnik, PLLC have years of experience handling medical malpractice cases and specifically, cases involving birth injuries and delayed C-sections.