Birth Injuries may Result from a Doctor Ignoring Signs of Fetal Distress in Tennessee

By Thomas Greer | October 16, 2013

The birth of a child is a wonderful time for parents.  Throughout the pregnancy, the prenatal checkups confirmed that the baby was developing properly and the expectant mom entered the delivery room without any worry that something might be wrong with her baby.  However, something went wrong and now a child suffers through every day with the consequences of a birth injury.

There are many things that may have caused a child’s birth injury.  It could be the result of genetics or an unavoidable medical condition.  However, it also could be the result of the negligence of the doctor or other medical professional.  In many cases, a newborn will be born with a condition that can be treated with no lasting ill-effects.  If the doctors, nurses, and other people present in the delivery room and immediately after the birth fail to notice the symptoms of distress, then the baby can suffer from a birth injury that will impact the remainder of his life.  Some of the medical conditions that could be present at birth include respiratory distress, infection, head or brain injury, jaundice, intracranial bleeding, and general distress.  These may present in the following ways:

  • Respiratory distress – This medical emergency typically appears in babies who are delivered early.  This is a very serious condition that requires rapid diagnosis and medical intervention.  If a doctor fails to respond to the infant’s distress, the baby may suffer from bleeding in the brain, bleeding into his or her lungs, blood clots, and developmental delays.
  • Infections – An infection may have been present in the fetus prior to delivery or it may have been transferred from the mother to the baby during delivery.  Regardless of the method of transfer, doctors must diagnose that the baby has an infection, determine the type of infection, and prescribe the proper treatment in a timely manner in order to avoid birth injuries, including Cerebral Palsy.
  • Head or brain injury – Many circumstances during the delivery can lead to head trauma in the delivery room, including the use of vacuum extraction or forceps.  Brain damage from hypoxia can result in severe cases.
  • Jaundice – This is a symptom of another problem, which could be blood type incompatibility, a pre-existing genetic condition, internal bleeding, or problems with the liver.  Many times, doctors associate jaundice as a typical side-effect of a more difficult delivery.  If a medical professional improperly dismisses jaundice, the results can be tragic.
  • Intracranial bleeding – This condition refers to bleeding in the brain or within the general structure of the skull.  A difficult delivery caused by a large baby, small birth canal, abnormal presentation, shoulder dystocia, or extended labor can lead to bleeding in the skull.  If a doctor fails to recognize this condition, the baby may suffer from seizures, experience lethargy, fail to nurse, or otherwise fail to thrive.
  • General distress – A catch-all diagnosis that may be revealed through a low Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration (APGAR) score, irregular heart rated, or other deviations from normal standards of vital statistics.

There are numerous other medical problems that can cause fetal distress.  Although not all harm is preventable, many times, all it takes to prevent a lifetime of suffering from a birth injury is recognition of fetal distress, proper diagnosis, and appropriate treatment.

A birth injury can turn the joy of parenthood into the nightmare of daily struggles for a child with a preventable disability.  The Tennessee birth injury attorneys at Bailey & Greer understand the need for justice that parents of a child with a birth injury have.  We combine the compassion of a caring firm with the legal expertise of skilled attorneys.  Please call us at 901-680-9777 to schedule a free and confidential meeting to discuss your situation and the harm suffered by your child.  At Bailey & Greer, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.

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