Some birth injuries are the result of unpredictable circumstances. Health care professionals may do everything they can to facilitate a safe birth, but unusual factors may lead to tragic outcomes. Other times, the medical professionals assisting a mother during labor and delivery might make mistakes that ultimately have devastating consequences.
Professionals providing labor and delivery support generally need to minimize unnecessary interventions and ensure that they competently select the interventions they administer. However, they also need to act quickly in scenarios where the unborn baby shows signs of fetal distress. A failure to intervene promptly can result in distress progressing into situations that may cause permanent birth injuries.
What is fetal distress?
Fetal distress is the technical term for when an unborn child does not receive adequate oxygen. Compression of the umbilical cord, problems with the placenta or issues with the mother, such as high blood pressure, can trigger fetal distress.
When an infant goes into distress, the first warning sign is usually an elevated heart rate. Consistent fetal monitoring throughout active labor is therefore considered best practice by obstetric professionals.
When doctors or nurses do not use a fetal heart rate monitor or do not respond promptly to the early warning signs of fetal distress, they may not intervene quickly enough to prevent brain damage and other lasting consequences of the oxygen deprivation. Permanent injuries can follow a failure to intervene during labor.
Reviewing medical records from a birth complicated by fetal distress with a skilled legal team can help frustrated parents to more effectively understand their options. A medical malpractice lawsuit is sometimes an option when health care professionals do not adhere to best practices during labor and delivery, leading to serious birth injuries.