subject: Doctors And Nurses Pay $4,000,000 Settlement In Case Regarding Child With Cerebral Palsy [print this page] During labor, expecting mothers are usually attached to a fetal heart rate monitor. The information from the monitor is used to track whether the baby is doing well or is in fetal distress. If such warning signs appear measures should be taken without delay to counteract the situation or to deliver the baby. Any delay can result in significant and permanent injury to the infant. By not acting right away doctors and nurses might be acting in a manner that fails to satisfy the standard of care. If this does result in injury to the infant, these doctors and nurses might be liable for medical malpractice.
Consider a reported lawsuit involving what had been a normal pregnancy, the pregnant woman was 13 days beyond her due date. She went to the hospital for a scheduled delivery. After her admission to the hospital, one of the doctors ruptured her membranes in an attempt to enhance her labor. The woman's records reveal that there was "scant to no amniotic fluid" noted. At some point the fetal heart rate monitor began to show non-reassuring tracings. Nevertheless, six hours later medication was administered so as to promote her contractions. Despite the fact that this medication is known to have the potential of producing hyperstimulation, the administration of the drug was regularly increased throughout the next few hours.
During this time, the unborn baby's heart rate revealed noticeable late decelerations, an increasing baseline, along with intervals of decreasing variability the drug did nothing to further her labor. On more than one occasion, two nurses attempted to counteract the decelerations however neither nurse did anything about the continued use of the drug. About 7 hours following the first time the medication was given, the fetal heart rate started steadily rising. This was an indication that the baby was attempting to compensate for a decrease in the supply of oxygen.
At last, almost 4 hours following the first signs of fetal distree the obstetrician attempted a vacuum extraction. This physician made nine tries at vacuum extraction. As this doctor tried the vacuum extraction, the fetal heart rate readings worsened to a level suggesting terminal bradycardia. Here this physician at last ordered an emergency C-section. This doctor delivered the infant a little more than 1 hour after starting the use of vacuum extraction.
The records documented the presence of thick meconium. The baby was not breathing, had no muscle tone, no reflexes, and no heart rate. Resuscitation efforts succeeded in reviving the baby. The newborn was transferred to NICU unit. There, the baby started experiencing seizures and was. The law firm that handled the resulting lawsuit documented that a $4.0 million settlement was reached in the case
by: Joseph Hernandez
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