Birth injuries can have lifelong consequences for infants and their families. While some birth injuries occur due to complications during labor and delivery, many can be traced back to prenatal problems that were mismanaged or left untreated. For prenatal complications and birth trauma that resulted in your baby’s injury, you should get legal representation from experienced birth injury attorneys in Indiana.
Common Prenatal Problems That Can Cause Birth Injuries
Maternal Infections
Certain maternal infections during pregnancy can increase the risk of birth injuries if not properly diagnosed and treated. These include:
- Group B Streptococcus (GBS): If transmitted during delivery, GBS can cause sepsis, pneumonia, or meningitis in newborns. Proper screening and antibiotic treatment are essential.
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV): This viral infection can lead to hearing loss, vision impairment, and intellectual disabilities in newborns.
- Toxoplasmosis: Caused by a parasite found in contaminated food and cat feces, toxoplasmosis can result in brain damage, seizures, and vision problems.
Preeclampsia and Eclampsia
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and potential organ damage. If untreated, it can progress to eclampsia, leading to seizures, placental abruption, or stroke. Preeclampsia can also result in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and premature birth, both of which heighten the risk of birth injuries.
Gestational Diabetes
Uncontrolled gestational diabetes increases the risk of birth injuries from prenatal issues. Common problems resulting from medical negligence include:
- Macrosomia (excessive fetal growth): Can lead to birth trauma, such as shoulder dystocia or brachial plexus injuries during vaginal delivery.
- Neonatal Hypoglycemia: After birth, infants of diabetic mothers may experience dangerously low blood sugar levels, potentially leading to brain damage.
Placental and Umbilical Cord Issues
- Placental Abruption: A premature detachment of the placenta from the uterus, restricting oxygen and nutrient flow to the fetus.
- Placenta Previa: When the placenta covers the cervix, increasing the risk of hemorrhage and oxygen deprivation.
- Umbilical Cord Prolapse: A medical emergency where the umbilical cord slips into the birth canal before the baby, leading to oxygen deprivation and potential brain injury.
Oxygen Deprivation (Hypoxia and Asphyxia)
Prenatal oxygen deprivation can result in:
- Cerebral Palsy: A lifelong motor disability often linked to oxygen deprivation before or during birth.
- Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE): A severe brain injury caused by inadequate oxygen and blood flow.
Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)
IUGR occurs when a fetus fails to grow properly due to placental insufficiency, maternal health conditions, or chromosomal abnormalities. It increases the risk of preterm birth, stillbirth, and developmental disorders.
Rh Incompatibility
If a mother is Rh-negative and the baby is Rh-positive, the mother’s immune system may attack fetal red blood cells, leading to severe anemia, jaundice, and brain damage. Proper prenatal care includes Rh testing and administering RhoGAM to prevent complications.
Medication Errors and Harmful Drug Exposure
Certain medications taken during pregnancy can cause birth defects and injuries. For example:
- Accutane (Isotretinoin): Can cause severe congenital disabilities if used during pregnancy.
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): Some antidepressants have been linked to congenital heart defects and persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns.
- Opioids and Substance Use Disorders: Exposure to opioids can lead to Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), causing withdrawal symptoms in newborns.
Legal Implications of Prenatal Negligence
When medical professionals fail to recognize and address prenatal complications, they may be held liable for medical negligence. Legal action may be warranted in cases involving:
- Failure to diagnose and treat maternal infections.
- Mismanagement of gestational diabetes or preeclampsia.
- Failure to detect fetal distress.
- Improper medication prescriptions during pregnancy.
How Our Lawyers Prove Prenatal Negligence
Comprehensive Medical Investigation
Prenatal care should prevent complications, but negligent doctors and hospitals may miss critical warning signs. At Wagner Reese, our Indiana birth injury lawyers collaborate with medical experts to analyze prenatal records, ultrasounds, and diagnostic tests to determine if a preventable issue was overlooked.
Expert Testimony
We partner with leading obstetricians, neonatologists, and pediatric neurologists to explain how medical negligence contributed to your child’s birth injury. Their testimony strengthens your case by demonstrating the link between improper prenatal care and your child’s condition.
Hospital and Provider Records Analysis
We thoroughly examine hospital procedures, physician notes, and treatment records. This helps us identify failures such as undiagnosed maternal infections, mismanaged gestational diabetes, or delayed intervention in high-risk pregnancies.
Aggressive Legal Advocacy
We use all available evidence to build a compelling case, holding negligent healthcare providers accountable. Our firm fights relentlessly to recover compensation in birth injury cases for medical expenses, future care, and pain and suffering.
Get Legal Help for Prenatal-Related Birth Injuries
Our dedicated Indianapolis birth injury attorneys at Wagner Reese, LLP are prepared to take on large hospitals and powerful insurance companies on behalf of our clients. Our firm has achieved multiple multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts for injury victims and their families.
Recognized by Super Lawyers®, Best Lawyers in America©, and U.S. News & World Report, we fight for families when the stakes are highest. To schedule your free consultation, call us at (888) 204-8440 or contact us online.
