Birth Hypoxia in Tennessee: What You Should Know

By Thomas Greer | August 23, 2013

Birth hypoxia may have a number of different names in the medical community, but is equally serious and a potentially life-threatening condition.  For example, this condition may also be called perinatal asphyxia, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, or birth asphyxia.  Notwithstanding what you call it, when a baby does not receive enough oxygen to its brain during birth, hypoxia and its associated complications are highly likely to occur.  Undoubtedly, a lack of oxygen to a baby’s brain during birth can very quickly lead to serious health problems.  In fact, a baby can suffer serious, permanent brain damage after only a few seconds without oxygen.

Overall, it is important to understand that if you suspect that your child was injured due to a lack of oxygen during birth, you may have legal rights.  Oftentimes, parents of an injured child do not realize that they may be entitled to recover compensation for the tragedy that occurred during their child’s delivery.  This is most often due to the fact that they are not provided with the information necessary to help them render this conclusion.  With doctors and hospitals hoping that they will not be sued for harming their child, they often remain silent and unwilling to accept responsibility.  That is where we come in.  As seasoned birth injury attorneys, we feel that parents need to be educated about what happened to their child so that they can make informed decisions and, fight for their rights.  With this in mind, the following are a number of ways in which birth hypoxia may take place, which may help you determine whether you have credible legal case:

  • Acute maternal hypotension;
  • Poorly functioning lungs, resulting in low oxygen levels in the blood;
  • Cardiac complications;
  • Cephalopelvic disproportion;
  • Umbilical cord complications;
  • Poor oxygen supply;
  • Prolapsed cord/umbilical cord complications (i.e., a cord wrapped around a baby’s neck);
  • Intra-partum hemorrhage;
  • Placental abruption;
  • Pressure to the cranium that damagingly alters its shape;
  • Placental complications;
  • Ruptured vasa previa;
  • Physical trauma sustained to a pregnant mother;
  • Uterine rupture/complications such as intrauterine growth restriction, etc.; or
  • Medical errors/mistakes (i.e., failure to properly use birthing devices or delayed cesarean section).

While birth hypoxia is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication, the good news is that there is new treatment called body cooling treatment, or head cooling treatment.  If properly performed, infants who receive this treatment are taken to intensive care where their body temperature is cooled to 33.5 degrees Celcius for 72 hours, which can help minimize the effects of being deprived of oxygen during birth.  For years, this method was believed to decrease problems with the brain caused by oxygen deprivation, and a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has confirmed that hypothesis.  However, this type of treatment carries with it various risks and complications, especially if conducted by a medical professional who lacks the experience necessary to provide successful results.

Regardless of the type of birth injuries sustained to your child, our Tennessee personal injury lawyers bring a breadth of skills and knowledge to the table when representing birth injury victims and their families. We also have the experience and resources necessary to properly evaluate your case and represent your interests to help your family fight for the financial compensation they require to provide for the needs of your special child.

If your baby was the victim of a negligent birth injury, your medical bills are probably mounting.  Your baby may require surgery, adaptive equipment, or therapy for many years to come. If this is the current struggle you face, call us toll free at 901-680-9777 to schedule your free, initial consultation. If we can help, we will work tirelessly to represent you and your child. We look forward to providing you with top-tier legal representation.

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