USA Today recently had an eye-opening investigative story about women who are suffering serious complications following childbirth in the U.S. 
For a long time, healthcare providers would blame deaths and complications following childbirth on issues like obesity, age or other conditions. However, it has come out statistically that some cases involve medical mistakes and poor care.
According to the news outlet, each year, more than 50,000 women suffer serious complications from childbirth and about 700 women die. One of the key takeaways USA Today discovered is that nearly half of maternal deaths and injuries could be prevented or reduced with better medical care.
Reporters found that at some hospitals, less than 15 percent of women experiencing emergency events during childbirth received the immediate recommended treatments. These events can include hemorrhaging and complications due to high blood pressure.
“As many as 90% of hemorrhage deaths and 60% of hypertension deaths could be prevented,” USA Today reported, finding that in some instances women were waiting for hours before being provided proper care.
The news outlet reviewed billing data from 7 million births in 13 states, finding wide variations in the rates of childbirth complications. Some hospitals had double the complication rates of others.
“At these hospitals, women were twice as likely to have had blood transfusions, hysterectomies, seizures, heart attacks, strokes or other indicators that their deliveries turned deadly,” USA Today reported about the hospitals with high complication rates.
Additionally, the newspaper discovered that African-American mothers were twice as likely to suffer serious complications as other women during childbirth.
To read the groundbreaking reporting, you can click on the source link below.
You Can Hold a Negligent Healthcare Provider Liable
When people think about childbirth complications, they often think about injuries impacting newborns, not necessarily an expecting mother. We are happy that a news outlet is shining a light on this subject that may not otherwise get discussed.
Your doctor has a duty to monitor any issues that may lead to complications and use care during the birthing process. This includes monitoring your own health, not just the health of your baby.
If your you suffered an injury due to the negligence of a healthcare provider, our Ryan Krebs, M.D., J.D., is especially qualified to handle medical malpractice cases. For a free discussion about your case, call 1-(800)-460-0606.
