Tennessee Informed Consent Law for Pregnant Mothers

There are inherent risks to almost all types of medical procedures.  In Tennessee, a doctor is required to give the patient certain information before providing treatment.  More specifically, the doctor must give the patient enough information about the medical condition and about the risks associated with treating the medical condition so that the patient can make an intelligent decision about whether to undergo the treatment.

Informed Consent in the Context of Pregnancy

Some pregnant mothers are considered to be at high risk.  Your doctor is responsible for providing information to you about the increased risk factors and about how to best treat the conditions.  Some of the most common conditions that make a mother high risk are:

• Multiple babies – Twins, triplets, and other multiple babies place the mother and babies at greater risk, including premature birth, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and placental abruption.
• Preeclampsia – This disorder is characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine.  This condition can result in serious harm to the baby.  It happens in roughly 5-8% of women.
• Gestational diabetes – This is a kind of diabetes that some women get during pregnancy.  If not controlled, it can cause the baby to grow too big and not be able to fit down the birth canal
• Placental abruption – This occurs when the placenta, which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the baby, detaches from the uterine wall before delivery.  This can cause serious injury or death to the baby.

Informed Consent in the Context of Labor and Delivery

Some factors cause a mother to be at greater risk of attempting a vaginal delivery.

• Previous C-Section – Mothers who have had a previous C-section are at greater risk for uterine rupture.  This occurs when the uterus splits apart and the baby is extruded into the abdomen and is deprived of oxygen.  A rupture can also be life threatening to the mother due to the potential for heavy blood loss.
• Macrosomia (Big Baby) – Abnormally large babies, often times as a result of gestational diabetes, are sometimes too big to travel down the birth canal and can lead to shoulder dystocia or brain injury.
• Abnormal Heart Rate Changes – Most modern labors these days are monitored by a fetal heart monitor strip which can tell the doctor the condition of the baby during labor.  If the baby indicates signs of distress or oxygen deprivation, it may become too risky to continue with a vaginal birth.
• Arrest of Labor – This occurs when the mother and baby simply stop progressing toward delivery.  When this happens, it may become necessary to perform a C-section in order to prevent injury to the baby.

Many times the risks to the mother and baby can increase overtime.  What starts off like a manageable pregnancy or labor may quickly change.  This requires the doctor to warn the mother of the increased risks and change the course of treatment if necessary.

If you believe that your doctor failed to tell you about certain risks associated with your pregnancy or with your labor and delivery, please call the Tennessee obstetrical malpractice attorneys at Bailey & Greer.  We have experienced attorneys and even a registered nurse standing by to answer all your questions.  Please call at 901-680-9777.