The umbilical cord is a baby’s lifeline during pregnancy, and when something goes wrong with it, the consequences can unfold in seconds. Cord prolapse, nuchal cord entanglement, true knots, and abnormal cord insertions can all restrict blood flow and oxygen to a baby, leading to brain damage, permanent disability, or death. When those outcomes were preventable, and a medical provider failed to act, families deserve answers and accountability.
At Wagner Reese, our attorneys have spent decades handling birth injury and medical malpractice claims across Indiana, and we understand how devastating these cases can be for families. With 150+ combined years of experience and ongoing recognition from Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America, we are equipped to handle the complex litigation these cases require. We handle prenatal problem claims on a contingency basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Types of Umbilical Cord Complications Linked to Malpractice
Not every umbilical cord complication gives rise to a legal claim, but many do. When medical providers fail to monitor, detect, or respond to cord-related emergencies in a reasonable time, they may be held liable for the resulting harm. The following are among the most common cord complications our attorneys encounter in birth injury cases.
Umbilical Cord Prolapse
Cord prolapse occurs when the umbilical cord slips through the cervix before the baby, causing compression during delivery. This is a recognized obstetric emergency requiring immediate response, typically an emergency cesarean section. A review published through the National Institutes of Health found cord prolapse occurs in approximately 1 to 6 per 1,000 pregnancies and is associated with significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. Delayed diagnosis or a failure to perform a timely C-section can result in severe birth asphyxia, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and lifelong neurological impairment.
Nuchal Cord, True Knots, and Abnormal Insertions
A nuchal cord refers to the umbilical cord wrapping around a baby’s neck during labor or delivery. While some nuchal cords resolve without incident, tightly wrapped cords combined with other complications can cause oxygen deprivation. True knots in the cord can tighten during labor and cut off blood flow entirely. Marginal umbilical cord insertion and velamentous cord insertion are additional conditions where the cord attaches improperly to the placenta or membranes, increasing the risk of rupture and fetal compromise. Providers who fail to identify abnormalities prenatally or fail to adjust the delivery plan accordingly may bear legal responsibility for the outcome.
How Cord Complications Lead to Birth Injuries
The most dangerous consequence of a cord complication is oxygen deprivation. When a baby’s blood oxygen supply is reduced or cut off, infant brain injuries can develop within minutes. The type and severity of injury depend on how long the deprivation lasted and how quickly medical staff responded. Outcomes can range from mild developmental delays to cerebral palsy, seizure disorders, and other permanent neurological conditions.
Medical providers are trained to monitor fetal heart rate patterns throughout labor. Decelerations on a fetal monitor are frequently the first sign of cord compression, and failing to recognize those patterns or act on them promptly is one of the most common forms of negligence in umbilical cord injury cases.
What to Know About Filing a Birth Injury Claim in Indiana
Umbilical cord injury cases require extensive medical investigation to establish that a provider deviated from the accepted standard of care and caused your child’s harm. Before filing a lawsuit, Indiana law requires most medical malpractice claims to go through a medical review panel, which adds time to the process. Consulting with an attorney as early as possible is essential to protecting your rights and meeting all applicable deadlines.
When families begin to piece together what happened, they often find the warning signs were present and documented in the delivery records. The types of evidence our attorneys look for in these cases commonly include the following.
- Fetal monitor strips: Documented heart rate decelerations are often the clearest evidence that a provider failed to respond to signs of cord distress.
- Delivery room records: Timestamped notes can reveal delays in ordering a C-section or calling for emergency intervention.
- Prenatal imaging: Ultrasound findings may show cord abnormalities that are identified before labor but not adequately addressed.
- Provider communications: Records of who was notified, when, and what action was taken can reveal gaps in the chain of care.
Understanding what happens when an umbilical cord breaks or fails during delivery is a starting point, but building a successful legal claim requires far more than a general understanding of what went wrong.
Contact Wagner Reese LLP — Indianapolis Umbilical Cord Complications Lawyers
Wagner Reese is a boutique firm that takes on catastrophic injury cases selectively, focusing on situations where our depth of experience can make a meaningful difference for the families we represent. Our founding partners have each received the Trial Lawyer of the Year award, and between 50 and 60 percent of our cases come to us through referrals from other attorneys who trust our proven track record. Learn more about the attorneys who will represent your family on our about us page.
If your child was harmed by an umbilical cord complication and you believe a medical provider’s failure played a role, we are ready to evaluate your case. Contact our office today for a free consultation, with no fee unless we win.
