When complications occur during childbirth, they can cause devastating results for the newborn child. Birth asphyxia is one such complication that occurs when the baby suffers a lack of oxygen to the brain during delivery.

When this happens, the child may be left with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a serious brain injury that may result in devastating permanent injuries and disabilities.

If your baby has HIE due to complications or negligence during their birth, it is important to understand the long-term effects they may experience. To speak to a legal professional about your case, contact our team anytime.

What Causes Birth Asphyxia and HIE?

When a baby is in the womb, they receive blood through the umbilical cord similarly to how lungs take in air. If anything prevents adequate blood flow to the infant, it can affect the amount of oxygen the baby receives and lead to birth asphyxia. For example, this can happen when the mother’s blood pressure drops or if the umbilical cord becomes wrapped around the child’s neck.

Two problems, in particular, that can cause birth asphyxia and HIE are umbilical cord compression and placental abruption.

  • Umbilical cord compression is when the umbilical cord is flattened by the baby’s weight, the placenta, or the vaginal walls.
    • In some cases, the umbilical cord can also end up wrapping around the neck.
  • Placental abruption is when the placenta detaches partly or fully from the uterus, cutting off the umbilical cord’s blood supply.

These situations call for immediate emergency medical intervention to prevent serious and often permanent injury to the baby. If a medical professional fails to diagnose and treat these conditions promptly, they could be liable for medical malpractice.

Common Risk Factors for Birth Asphyxia and HIE

Certain problems can cause or increase the risk of birth asphyxia and HIE. They include the following:

  • Anesthesia mistakes that lead to blood pressure issues in the mother
  • Failure to deliver the baby quickly when there is evidence of fetal distress
  • Fetal stroke
  • Oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid
  • Placental abruption or placenta previa
  • Preeclampsia or eclampsia
  • Premature birth
  • Ruptured uterus
  • Umbilical cord problems
  • Uterine hyperstimulation caused by medications like Cytotec or Pitocin

Long-Term Effects of Birth Asphyxia and HIE

The severity of disabilities a child can suffer from asphyxia at birth depends on certain factors, including the length of time they were oxygen deprived, the baby’s condition during the deprivation, and the severity of that deprivation: whether mild or severe.

If a baby was deprived of oxygen for a very short time, they will likely have milder disabilities than a child who was deprived for a longer time. The following are common long-term effects of birth asphyxia and HIE:

  • Blindness or visual impairment
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Epilepsy or seizure disorders
  • Learning disabilities that affect speech and thinking
  • Motor and behavioral development issues that affect coordination and walking

Additionally, HIE is the most common cause of neonatal seizures. When a baby experiences seizures while still in the womb, it can result in devastating, permanent injuries. Neonatal asphyxia can be especially devastating for the baby.

Why Doctors Need to Monitor Infants’ Conditions During and After Delivery

Doctors and other healthcare professionals need to be aware of problems affecting both the baby and mother so that they can provide appropriate birth asphyxia treatment. Birth injuries can occur not just due to complications during the delivery itself, but also due to failure to promptly or adequately treat complications after a baby is born.

For instance, if a baby has a breathing problem, they could require breathing machines and tubes. Likewise, a baby with a heart problem may require cardiac medication and monitoring of the heart, blood pressure, and breathing interventions to prevent problems from exacerbating and becoming long-term.

It is important to note that premature babies may not necessarily exhibit the same symptoms as full-term infants and need to be monitored extremely closely.

Learn More About Birth Injuries

If you’d like to learn more about birth injuries and the legal options of families struggling with aftermath of medical negligence, we suggest you read any of the following resources:

The Importance of Speaking with an Attorney

Birth injuries have long-term consequences for families, both financially and emotionally. When children are permanently disabled because of their birth injuries, it can leave families struggling to provide for their children, who may never be able to support themselves fully as adults.

Hospitals and other healthcare facilities also fight back hard against birth injury claims. If your family suffered a birth injury, you will need the help of an experienced birth injury lawyer who knows what you are struggling with, how much you may need to cover your losses and compensate your family for your pain and suffering, and what to do if the insurance company denies your claim.

The Indianapolis birth injury lawyers at Wagner Reese have decades of experience helping families hurt by birth injuries and now we want to help yours.

Contact us today for a free consultation.