subject: Doctors And Nurses Pay $4.0 Million Settlement In Claim Concerning Infant With Cerebral Palsy [print this page] The fetal heart rate monitor gives physicians and nurses with useful information relating to the wellbeing of the unborn baby as the mother is in labor. The data from the monitor is used to track whether the baby is well or is in a compromised situation. Should such warning signs appear steps need to be taken without delay to counteract the situation or to deliver the baby. Not acting immediately can lead to significant and lifelong injury to the baby. The failure of physicians or nurses to take timely and correct action may amount to a failure to meet the standard of care. In the event this does lead to harm to the child, these doctors and nurses might be liable for medical malpractice.
Look at a reported case involving what had been an uneventful pregnancy, the pregnant woman was thirteen days past her due date. She went to the hospital for a scheduled delivery. Following her admission , one of the doctors ruptured her membranes in an effort to augment her labor. An entry in her chart recorded that there was scant to no amniotic fluid observed. At some point the fetal heart rate monitor began to show non-reassuring tracings. But, 6 hours after that medication was administered in order to stimulate her contractions. Despite the fact that this drug is known to have the potential of leading to hyperstimulation, progressively higher levels of the drug were administered over the course of the next few hours.
During this period, the unborn babys heart rate showed noticeable late decelerations, an increasing baseline, in addition to intervals of decreasing variability the drug did nothing to further her labor. On more than one occasion, two nurses tried to counteract the decelerations however neither nurse made any effort to stop or even decrease the drug being administered. Roughly 7 hours subsequent to the first time the medication was given, the fetal heart rate started progressively rising. This was a signal that the baby was attempting to compensate for a decrease in the supply of oxygen.
Nearly 4 hours after the signs of fetal distress appeared this doctor tried a vacuum extraction. This physician made 9 attempts at vacuum extraction. As this physician attempted the vacuum extraction, the fetal heart rate readings deteriorated to the point suspicious for terminal bradycardia. At this point this physician finally decided to perform an emergency C-section. The obstetrician delivered the baby just over one hour following beginning attempts at vacuum extraction.
The records noted the presence of dense meconium. The child was not breathing, had no muscle tone, no reflexes, and no heart rate. Resuscitation attempts were able to revive the child. The baby was transferred to NICU unitThere, the baby began having seizures and was. The law firm that handled the resulting case reported that a $4,000,000 settlement was reached in the case
by: Joseph Hernandez
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