USA Today had a shocking report earlier this month claiming that the United States is the most dangerous place in the developed world to give birth. 
According to the investigative report, more than 50,000 mothers suffer severe injuries during childbirth each year and there are about 700 deaths. The news source reported that about half of these incidents could have been prevented or reduced in severity with better healthcare.
The report suggests that maternal death and injury rates from other developed nations (including Germany, Japan and France) continue to fall, while the U.S. rate continues to rise. In 2015, it was 26.4 injuries per 100,000 births, according to USA Today. State-wise, the only exception in the U.S. appears to be California, which has implemented stricter safety practices for healthcare providers.
USA Today reported that many experts feel that the rate has risen because there are fewer regulations than in other developed countries and oversight groups are not pushing for better care.
“The lack of action by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to protect mothers stands in sharp contrast to its more aggressive approach to trying to improve care for elderly Medicare patients,” USA Today reported.
Shockingly, Medicare does not require hospitals to track or report childbirth complications the same way it does issues with other procedures like orthopedic surgeries. Some of the key complications discovered by the news outlet include mothers experiencing hypertension (high blood pressure) and severe hemorrhaging.
It is not necessarily that these issues are something poor healthcare creates; it is that if they are not treated correctly, they can result in serious injuries and or death. For example, many women who suffer from hypertension are supposed to be treated with medications in specific time periods during child birth and have a protocol for treatment—however, it is not uncommon for providers to actually track whether or not this is being done.
USA Today reported that errors in the urgency to react to events also results in catastrophic injuries for children, who may be harmed by issues like delayed C-Sections, etc., as doctors fail to react properly to the signs of complications during the birthing process.
For further information, you can click on the link below.
Birth Injuries Can Lead to a Lifetime of Medical Costs
As this investigation reveals, the failure of a healthcare provider to act in a reasonable fashion or monitor potential complications during the birthing process has lead to horrific injuries and death.
Americans should not have to suffer because of poor medical care during child birth. As a nation, we have some of the most advanced technology available to help ease complications during the birthing process. There are no excuses for much of this negligence.
If your child 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. We provide services with unique legal expertise.
Our firm is well versed in birth injury law and each birth trauma attorney can provide you with the legal advice and representation you need to successfully pursue a case. For a free discussion about your case, call 1-(800)-460-0606.
