Overlooked Signs Of Fetal Distress Result In Child's Cerebral Palsy And $4.0 Million Lawsuit
During labor, pregnant women are usually attached to a fetal heart rate monitor
. The tracings from the monitor are read for signs that the health of the unborn baby is in danger. When such warning signs arise steps should be taken immediately to counteract the situation or to deliver the infant. Any delay can lead to serious and permanent injury to the child. The failure of doctors or nurses to take timely and appropriate action may constitute a failure to satisfy the standard of care. In the event this does end in injury to the child, these doctors and nurses may be liable for medical malpractice.Look at a reported case concerning what had been a normal pregnancy, the pregnant woman was thirteen days beyond her due date. She was hospitalized for a scheduled delivery. Following her admission to the hospital, one of the doctors ruptured her membranes in an effort to enhance her labor. An entry in her chart recorded that there was "scant to no amniotic fluid" observed. While she was being followed the fetal heart rate monitor started to show non-reassuring tracings. Yet, six hours later a drug was used so as to stimulate her contractions. Even though this drug has a known risk leading to hyperstimulation, the use of the medication was regularly increased during the period of the next several hours.
During this period, the unborn child's heart rate showed noticeable late decelerations, an increasing baseline, as well as intervals of decreasing variability the drug did nothing to further her labor. On more than one occasion, two nurses attempted to deal with the decelerations but neither did anything about the continued use of the drug. Nearly 7 hours after the initial administration of the drug, the fetal heart rate started steadily rising, a sign that the unborn child was seeking to compensate for the lack of oxygen.
Nearly 4 hours after the signs of fetal distress appeared this physician attempted a vacuum extraction. This doctor made multiple attempts (nine in total) at vacuum extraction. As this doctor attempted the vacuum extraction, the fetal heart rate readings deteriorated to a level suggesting terminal bradycardia. Now this physician at last ordered an emergency C-section. This doctor delivered the child just over one hour following starting the use of vacuum extraction.
The hospital chart noted the presence of thick meconium. On being born, the infant did not have a heart rate and was not breathing. Resuscitation efforts succeeded in reviving the child. The infant was taken to NICU unit. In the NICU unit the baby began having seizures and was. The law firm that handled the resulting case announced that the case settled for $4.0 million.
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