When a traditional birth may cause complications for the child, the mother or both, doctors will perform a cesarean section. In a cesarean section, the doctor makes an incision in the abdominal wall and removes the baby through the incision. Cesarean sections are increasingly common: in 2009, 33 percent of births were performed with a cesarean section, a record high.
There are many reasons for a doctor to recommend a cesarean section, or for a patient to choose one voluntarily. The placenta may block the cervix (placenta previa); the patient may develop diabetes during pregnancy, which typically leads to babies with higher birth weights; the baby may not be receiving enough oxygen (fetal distress); or the woman may be pregnant with twins or triplets, in which case a cesarean section is usually the safest mode of delivery.
If a doctor fails to realize that a cesarean section is the safest form of birth, the baby could suffer from the doctor’s mistake for the rest of his or her life. Medical complications during childbirth could result in conditions like cerebral palsy or Erb’s palsy. These conditions can be prevented if the doctor makes the right call.
Do you know someone who gave birth to a child with cerebral palsy or Erb’s palsy? If so, you may be able to pursue legal action against the medical team who failed to recognize the birth defect warning signs.
Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP – cerebral palsy attorneys
