Can You Prevent Birth Injuries? July 13, 2020.
Despite significant advances made in modern medicine, childbirth continues to be a dangerous experience for women and children. In fact, approximately 28,000 babies are born with a birth injury in the United States every year.
Given the prevalence of birth injuries, many soon-to-be parents may wonder if there is anything they can do to prevent birth injuries from occurring.
Unfortunately, that power largely lies with the medical professionals who attend to the mother during her labor and delivery. It’s up to the healthcare industry to implement changes in order to reduce the prevalence of birth injuries in the U.S.
We discuss specific measures the healthcare industry should take to prevent birth injuries below.
#1. Carefully Monitor the Mother’s Health Before the Birth
A healthy pregnancy often leads to a healthy birth. It’s a medical professional’s responsibility to provide proper prenatal care to a pregnant woman by doing the following:
Test for maternal conditions including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and infections.
Prescribe the correct type and dose of prenatal medication.
Know how to identify and treat prenatal complications including intrauterine growth restriction, breech positions, umbilical cord problems, and more.
#2. Take the Mother’s Concerns Seriously
There is a systemic problem in the healthcare industry where patients—particularly women—feel as though their medical concerns are not taken seriously by their doctors.
When a woman is in labor, her attending physician should listen to complaints she may have about pain or anything she may feel is unusual or not right, rather than dismissing her concerns. Given medical professionals’ experience and training, it should not take long to investigate the source of the patient’s concerns and determine whether anything can be done to address them.
#3. Know How to Use Birth Assistance Tools Correctly
One of the main causes of birth injuries is the improper use of birth assistance devices such as forceps or vacuum extraction tools. Hospitals should provide their staff with adequate training on how to use these tools so, if they must be used during a delivery, they are used correctly.
Did You Child Suffer an Injury at Birth? Contact Us Today
If your child suffered a birth injury due to a medical professional’s error or failure to act, our team can help you seek justice. We have handled many cases in this area of the law, and we have helped families recover the compensation they need to get high-quality care for their children.
Contact The Mellino Law Firm LLC today at (440) 333-3800 to schedule a free consultation.
