Bringing a new family member into the world is typically an exciting time, not a negative one. While most North Carolina hospitals carry out safe and effective practices for new and expecting mothers, there are some that fail to keep their promises. A birth injury can be devastating in many ways; above all else, it can compromise the wellbeing of both mother and child.
Hospitals can make many squeamish, and for many reasons; during a delivery, there may be countless hands working to provide proper care for the patient and the baby. Yet some mothers are turning away from hospital births altogether, as Scientific American noted in an article that out-of-hospital births are on the rise in the U.S. Why? According to Scientific American, there is a growing discomfort with the country’s hospital system, where one out of every three births results in a cesarean section. Some mothers have turned to at-home births, while others opt for the increasingly popular route of birth centers. What is especially jarring in these situations is that a large number of doctors disapprove of out-of-hospital births — some refuse to provide care instructions altogether.
A doctor’s opposition to an out-of-hospital birth can certainly raise suspicions, as the wellbeing of mother and baby is generally at the forefront of concern. Findlaw provides some of the basics when it comes to birth injuries and potential cases, adding that 7 percent of all babies fall victim to birth irregularities or defects. As for injuries, Findlaw estimates that five babies will be injured at birth for every 1,000 born. Improper medical techniques and devices are some examples of how potentially life-threatening injuries can take place. If legal action is the next step, mothers who experience faulty practices resulting in injury must prove that medical providers failed to provide a service as promised. In the meantime, the country may see a future turning point in the ways mothers give birth.