You just found out you’re pregnant; the idea of being a parent is a joyous one and you begin to prepare to go through the process. You go to your doctor and expect to be properly cared for, as well as to ensure your baby is healthy at all times.
What do you do if this isn’t the case?
Unfortunately, not all doctors take their responsibility to care for pregnant mothers and their babies seriously—failing to properly perform their duties. When this happens, however, there are a number of issues that can arise.
Failure to Identify Complications
One thing that the doctor must do during the many visits a mother takes to the hospital during her pregnancy is monitor the baby’s heartrate. This is to ensure it’s at a healthy resting pace and that nothing is wrong.
However, detection of fetal distress could indicate a serious problem such as oxygen deprivation. Proper monitoring allows doctors to determine if the heartrate is abnormal and if something is wrong so they can take action to help the baby and the mother.
Failure to Identify the Need for Emergency Delivery
Part of proper monitoring as the pregnancy progresses is identifying the potential need for emergency cesarean section. C-sections may be necessary when something is wrong with the baby and the only way to intervene is to deliver the baby.
Without this, there may be a condition that is allowed to persist for longer than is healthy for the baby, which can cause serious and long-term complications.
If a doctor fails to properly monitor a pregnancy, they are negligent and may be held accountable for any damages he or she causes to the mother or the baby. This means the family can take legal action to seek justice and compensation for their losses.
At James Wood Law, we take these cases very serious and we work hard to hold those responsible accountable for their actions. Our Albuquerque birth injury attorneys have your best interests in mind at all times.
To speak with our firm, call us at (505) 906-6774 today if you believe you have a case.