Childbirth is meant to be a joyful occasion. Unfortunately, medical errors during delivery can lead to serious injuries for both the mother and the baby. Many times, birth injury cases focus on the infant, but mothers can also face a wide range of injuries as well.
When healthcare providers fail to act in their patients’ best interests, lifelong consequences can occur. From physical injuries to emotional trauma, new moms can face a wide range of issues.
Birth Injuries to Mothers
Childbirth can be a physically demanding process, and sometimes, it leads to injuries for the mother. Here are some common physical birth injuries that mothers may experience:
Vaginal Tears
During vaginal delivery, the perineal area may experience tears or surgical cuts. This is known as vaginal tearing. One of the causes of vaginal tears is excessive force applied during delivery.
Sometimes, healthcare providers may be responsible for causing or worsening the tear.
These can be slight tears and need only a small stitch, while others may require surgery and weeks of recovery.
While tearing can be expected during delivery, when a medical team was not monitoring the mother or acted in another negligent manner, these injuries can have a major impact on the physical and emotional well-being of the mother.
Ruptured Uterus
Uterine rupture is a serious medical condition that occurs when there is a tear in the uterus during labor. This complication can lead to severe pain, bleeding, and potential harm to both the mother and baby.
There are several risk factors associated with uterine rupture, including:
- Improper monitoring
- Excessive contractions
- Previous uterine surgery
When the medical team does not identify these risk factors and take appropriate measures, it can lead to uterine rupture during labor. Negligence in monitoring or performing a timely cesarean section (C-section) can lead to a ruptured uterus as well.
Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH)
PPH refers to the loss of blood greater than 500 milliliters (or 1,000 milliliters for cesarean deliveries) within 24 hours after childbirth. When the uterus fails to contract after delivery, it can lead to a loss of blood. Often, this occurs due to the incomplete removal of the placenta during delivery.
Unfortunately, this issue is related to any trauma to the uterus, vaginal area, or cervix because of improper forceps usage or unmonitored labor. In some cases, blood loss could lead to anemia for a few mothers.
Perineal Trauma
Perineal trauma occurs in the perineal region during childbirth, such as the anus and vagina areas. While some of the injuries may be minor, some can tear through the perineal muscles and anal sphincter.
When the doctor is making a surgical cut to enlarge the vaginal open for birth, any mistakes can lead to this type of trauma. These injuries can cause substantial pain and recovery time for the mother.
Pelvic Floor Injuries
These muscles and ligaments support the bladder, uterus, and rectum. Injuries can occur during childbirth. They can lead to urinary or fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapses, and discomfort.
Once again, if the medical team is negligent in their actions, it could lead to serious trauma to the mother during childbirth. While there is a focus on physical injuries, some mothers can also experience mental health issues as well.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
This mental health disorder can develop in mothers after a traumatic birth experience. With regards to childbirth, any traumatic events during the delivery can exacerbate the trauma. For example, the medical team may have acted recklessly in an emergency situation during labor, or they have delayed intervention, resulting in injuries. As a result, the mothers could experience vivid and disturbing memories of the traumatic event.
Are These Injuries Related to Medical Malpractice?
If you have been injured, you should know whether these issues relate to medical practice. Birth-related medical malpractice occurs when a doctor, hospital, or other medical staff acts negligently or, in legal terms, fails to use reasonable care. With that, a party has caused injury to either the mother during pregnancy or delivery.
Some of these birth-related injuries can stem from:
- Failure to identify risks during pregnancy.
- Improper use of forceps or other delivery tools.
- Lack of proper aftercare for both the mother and baby
If you want to establish a case for birth injury medical malpractice, you and your legal team will need to prove these four elements:
- The medical provider owed a duty of care.
- The provider failed to meet that duty of care.
- The failure caused an injury.
- The injuries resulted in damages.
In these instances, the medical provider or delivery team did not provide an acceptable standard of care.
What is that?
In the context of medical malpractice, the standard of care refers to the level and type of care that a reasonably competent and skilled healthcare professional with a similar background would have provided under the same circumstances.
You May Want to Consult with a Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If you suspect that you’ve been affected by medical negligence, you may want to consult with a medical malpractice attorney. These cases can be highly technical, requiring a seasoned attorney to assist with your claim.
Malpractice laws are difficult to understand, and you want to work with someone with the skills and experience to handle these lawsuits.
With these claims, there is a significant amount of money at stake. Medical mistakes can lead to a lifetime of medical expenses and other damages. You will want to work with an attorney who can properly calculate your damages and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Also, proving a medical claim requires your legal team to analyze your medical record and consult with medical experts. These steps help to build a solid foundation for your legal case.
When it comes to a medical malpractice claim, the insurance company may want to settle it, but at a less-than-reasonable amount for you. With that in mind, you want a skilled negotiator to help you reach a favorable settlement.
These cases are time-sensitive. If you believe that your birth-related injuries were due to medical malpractice in Baton Rouge, you need to contact an attorney immediately.
At Bianca | Matkins, we are here to help you navigate through these challenging cases.
Our medical malpractice lawyer can assist with determining your legal options.
