Category Archives: Birth Defects
Maryland Lawmakers Contemplating Birth Injury Fund
According to the Baltimore Sun, lawmakers in Maryland are pushing for a bill that would create a fund to help pay for treatment for babies who suffer from neurological injuries during birth. The legislation would let hospitals, doctors with obstetrics and gynecological practices, as well as malpractice insurers, pay annual fees to the birth injury fund, which families could used to pay medical bills, recoup lost earnings potential and cover other costs, according to the Sun. Johns Hopkins Hospital and the University of Maryland Medical System feel that the fund is needed because of several recent multimillion-dollar judgments in the state. The healthcare providers said that if lawsuits continue to mount, it could lead to some practices closing and reduced access to medical care. “What we would like is a fair shake in cost containment,” Andrew Satin, director of gynecology and obstetrics at Johns Hopkins Medicine, told the Sun. “I…
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Posted in Birth Defects, Birth Trauma, Brain Damage, Brain Injury, Cerebral Palsy, Shoulder Dystocia Comments Off on Maryland Lawmakers Contemplating Birth Injury Fund
Couple Awarded $50 Million After Botched Genetic Test Gives Way to Son With Severe Disabilities
According to DisabilityScoop.com, a couple in Washington was awarded $50 million after their son was born with severe birth disabilities. According to the website, Brock and Rhea Wuth were told they had a 50-50 chance of having a child with a defect or a related issue, so prior to conception, they sought genetic counseling and testing, following doctor recommendations. When Rhea became pregnant shortly thereafter, genetic testing said their child was “normal”. However, when their son Oliver was born in 2008, they knew something was wrong with him. Oliver was born with profound mental and physical disabilities. Oliver, now 5, has an IQ of 50 to 70, cannot run, walk up stairs or talk beyond a few dozen words, according to DisabilityScoop.com. The website noted that he would need care for the rest of his life. The Wuth’s sued Valley Medical Center in Renton, Washington and Laboratory Corporation of America…
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Preterm Boys at Higher Risk for Death and Disabilities
According to ScienceDaily, a global study on preterm birth and disability carried out by almost 50 researchers and 35 institutions found that baby boys are at a higher risk of death and disability due to preterm birth than girls are. The news service reported that a report in Pediatric Research indicated that boys are 14 percent more likely to be born preterm than girls are. “Baby boys have a higher likelihood of infections, jaundice, birth complications, and congenital conditions, but the biggest risk for baby boys is due to preterm birth. For two babies born at the same degree of prematurity, a boy will have a higher risk of death and disability compared to a girl. Even in the womb, girls mature more rapidly than boys, which provides an advantage, because the lungs and other organs are more developed,” Professor Joy Lawn, M.D., PhD, a neonatologist and epidemiologist at the…
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Posted in Birth Defects, Birth Trauma, Cerebral Palsy, Erbs Palsy, Premature Birth, Shoulder Dystocia Comments Off on Preterm Boys at Higher Risk for Death and Disabilities
