Medical Malpractice: Birth Injury and Birth Defects

Anytime a baby experiences harm during its birth, whether that harm is from birth trauma, some type of infection, or any of the other kinds of birth defects or birth-related injuries, a family is left feeling confused, scared, and angry.

Sadly, there are many types of birth injuries, as well as many types of birth defects, including Zofran birth defects, congenital birth defects, isotretinoin birth defects, and other birth defects from drugs.

While some of these issues are minor and can be treated easily leaving no ill effects on the baby’s future, others are fatal birth defects that could have been avoided.

Many Birth Injuries and Birth Defects Could Be Avoided

In fact, birth defects statistics show that many baby birth defects could be prevented if physicians and medical staff simply took the time to learn how to prevent birth injuries.

Basic steps, such as following the standard of care required, closely monitoring both mother and baby during and after the birth to make sure that all is well, and addressing any issues quickly and efficiently, working with the staff that is trained to handle any situation that may arise.

This should be carried out not just during the birth, but throughout the entire pregnancy, during labor, during the birth of the baby, and even during the baby’s first few months of life.

When doctors, medical staff, and hospitals fail to provide this most basic service to the patients in their care, they have failed their most precious customers.

During the process of being pregnant, and especially during labor and delivery, a woman places her life and the life of her baby in the hands of the doctors and medical staff who are being paid to ensure that they are taken care of.

Failing to do that is inexcusable.

Birth Injury Claims and Cases

This is a fact that often leads to birth injury claims or birth injury cases in which the patient or their families seek compensation on behalf of the victims of these tragedies.

While birth injuries can sometimes occur through no fault of the doctors or medical staff, all too often it is simple negligence that causes these birth injuries or deaths during delivery.

When that is the case, the family will often be left devastated, with a mountain of medical bills and even funeral expenses threatening them in the middle of their worst tragedies.

That is when a birth injury lawyer can help then fight for compensation for all that they have suffered because of negligence.

A birth injury attorney at Napoli Shkolnik could help set up a birth-related injury fund.

Isotretinoin Birth Defects

Isotretinoin is a type of drug known as an oral retinoid.

It is only available by prescription and can be used to treat some severe acne types.

Unfortunately, studies have shown that taking this drug while pregnant can cause serious birth defects.

For this reason, it is not recommended that a patient take isotretinoin when they are planning to have a baby, if they are pregnant, or if they are nursing a child.

Female patients who are taking this medication should be advised to use an effective birth control method throughout the duration of time that they are using isotretinoin.

Even in situations where a person is not expected to get pregnant, this drug should only be used after all other acne medications have failed. It may also be used to treat skin cancers.

Because of the potency of this drug and the risk involved for unborn babies, women who are taking them should use two types of birth control together.

Regular pregnancy tests should be taken before the medication is prescribed, while you are taking it, and after the treatment has ended for at least a month.

If your doctor failed to take these and other precautions and you have had a baby with birth defects, you might want to contact a birth injury attorney or law firm.

Other Birth Defects and Birth Injuries

Of course, there are many other types of birth defects and birth injuries, such as congenital birth defects.

Many of these devastating tragedies could be avoided with proper care and treatment during the entire pregnancy, during labor and delivery, and even in the first few months of life.

While no one can promise that your child will not suffer injury or have a birth defect, by paying close attention to your needs and the needs of your baby, the risks can be lowered tremendously.

In order to look out for the safety of your baby, it is always a good idea to get a second opinion on any serious conditions that may arise during pregnancy.

While birth injury legislation does make it possible to seek compensation in most circumstances, we will always prefer that these birth defects and birth injuries be avoided if at all possible.

We encourage you to contact one of our knowledgeable and compassionate birth injury attorneys to discuss your individual circumstances if you think there has been medical malpractice.