Birth Injuries: What is the Standard of Care for Doctors?
All doctors must provide a standard of care when they are treating patients. This means that they must meet a certain degree of care that is considered acceptable by the medical community. If a doctor does not provide this standard of care, they may risk causing birth injuries to their patients.
Proper Prenatal Care
One of the most critical aspects of reducing the risk of birth injuries is for doctors to ensure they are guiding pregnant mothers throughout the process of proper prenatal care. This means administering prenatal tests and other diagnostics to monitor and detect any problems. This can give mothers insight into the best way to stay healthy during pregnancy, such as managing their diet and prescribing prenatal vitamins. By providing proper prenatal care, doctors can significantly help reduce the risk of birth injuries.
What Should Doctors Look For During Pregnancy?
Throughout the pregnancy, it's crucial for medical professionals to closely monitor the mother and baby for warning signs of fetal distress and other birth complications such as prolonged labor, premature labor, gestational diabetes. Another way doctors can minimize the risks of a birth injury is by recognizing when a vaginal birth is dangerous and a Cesarean must be performed. This can occur if the fetus is in distress; a C-section is often recommended for safe delivery.
Fetal Distress
Fetal distress is a condition in which the fetus is not getting enough oxygen. This can lead to severe complications for the baby if not treated properly.
Common warning signs of fetal distress may include:
Decreased fetal movement.
Abnormal heart rate.
Vaginal bleeding.
Maternal weight gain or loss.
Meconium (the baby’s first stool) in the amniotic fluid.
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it can be a very frightening experience, and you should reach out to your healthcare provider immediately.We want to assure you that we understand what you are going through, and we are here to support you.
Contact Our Tulsa Birth Injury Attorneys
When an unexpected turn of events occurs, resulting in complications of a birth injury, it can be a traumatic experience. If you or your child suffered a devastating birth injury due to medical malpractice, error, or negligence, our team at Brewster & De Angelis is here to help you get the justice you deserve. Contact us today at (918) 265-1214 to schedule a free case consultation.