As an expecting mother, getting closer and closer to your delivery date is an exciting time. After all, you’ve waited nine months to bring your new baby into the world! Unfortunately, birth is a medical procedure, meaning there is always the risk of complications. However, this is not an excuse for medical professionals to become negligent. During an assisted birth, medical professionals will use tools to help birth your child, which can cause injury if used incorrectly. Continue reading to learn more about assisted birth and discover how a Houston, Texas forceps injuries lawyer can help you receive justice.
What Is Assisted Birth?
When mothers give vaginal birth, there can be complications. Thus, medical professionals will perform an assisted birth. This is when a doctor or nurse will use medical devices called forceps or vacuum extractors to help guide the infant out of the birth canal. Forceps gently grab the fetus’s head to navigate them down the birth canal while the mother is pushing, and a vacuum extractor utilizes gentle suction to the infant’s head to help them navigate out of the birth canal.
Some reasons that this may be necessary include concerns about the fetus’s heart rate, the mother suffers a medical condition inhibiting her ability to push during labor, the infant is no longer traveling down the birth canal, or the length of the delivery has exhausted the mother.
What Injuries Can Occur?
Unfortunately, there are risks associated with assisted birth when a medical professional incorrectly and negligently uses these instruments. For example, if a healthcare provider incorrectly places the forceps, applies too much pressure, or uses them when they are not necessary, your infant can suffer. The following injuries can occur when these instruments are not used correctly:
- Erb’s palsy
- Fetal stroke
- Skull fractures
- Disfigurement
- Hemorrhaging
- Nerve damage to the face and arms
- Epilepsy
- Seizures
There is also a risk of injury to the mother, including tearing of the vagina, anus, or perineum. Some women may also experience urinary or fecal incontinence as a result.
Can I Sue on Behalf of My Child?
If a healthcare provider acted negligently or maliciously and your infant suffered an injury, you can sue for the damages caused. This also is true if the healthcare provider used the forceps or vacuum extractor for a birth that did not require assistance. If you believe you have a medical malpractice lawsuit on your hands, ensuring you contact an attorney as soon as possible is essential to determining the eligibility of your claim.
Fighting against hospital lawyers can be extremely intimidating for many. When you need a legal team that isn’t afraid to fight hospital attorneys, Davis & Davis is ready to help hold the doctors who caused injury to your infant responsible for their actions. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you navigate this process.