Every year, countless birth injuries occur in the United States. Many of these can be attributed to the negligence of medical professionals. Often, the simplest way for doctors to avoid injuries to newborns is by advising a cesarean section. It is their responsibility to carefully monitor the vitals and position of the fetus leading up to birth to determine if this is the right course of action. Today, we will describe when and why doctors should advise a C-section to avoid birth injury.
Today, we will describe when and why doctors should advise a cesarean section to avoid birth injuries.
Abnormal Positioning
The overwhelming majority of babies are born with their heads first. We have evolved to be born this way because it tends to result in fewer complications. When a baby is born with their feet first instead, this is what is known as a breech-birth.
Doctors can use ultrasounds to determine the position of the baby prior to birth. If a breech birth or other abnormal positioning looks likely, a c-section can reduce the risk of birth injury.
Macrosomia
Fetal macrosomia is the medical term for when a baby is unusually large. About 10% of babies born every year fall into this category, weighing more than 8 pounds and 13 ounces at the moment of birth.
Macrosomia dramatically reduces the risk of birth injury because it makes passage through the birth canal more difficult. This can result in oxygen deprivation and makes intervention with tools more likely. All of these complications could be bypassed with a cesarean section.
Multiple Birth
A ‘multiple birth’ refers to the birth of more than one baby at once. As you might have guessed, this includes twins, triplets, and so on. Delivering more than one baby means there is an increased risk of birth injury. In such situations, a cesarean section should be ordered in advance to minimize this risk as much as possible.
Maternal Complications
It should come as no surprise that the health of a mother is crucial to determining the health of a newborn baby. But did you know that maternal infections or severe illnesses can dramatically increase the risk of birth injury? Here are a few that you should be aware of:
- Syphilis
- Chickenpox
- Hepatitis B
- Rubella
Ordering a timely c-section can reduce the risk of these maternal complications putting the baby at an increased risk of injury. Doctors who fail to do so should be held accountable.
Contact The Snyder Law Group Today
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