Failure To Recognize Signs Of Placental Abruption Results In Baby's Brain Damage

A placental abruption is a complication wherein the placenta that retains the baby separates from the pregnant woman's uterus

. This is a dangerous problem which can put the unborn baby at risk of severe injury and death unless immediate action is taken. It is often associated with certain symptoms - the most telling of which are persistent vaginal bleeding, extreme abdominal or back pain, and continuous contractions. Any delay in detecting a placental abruption and doing a C-section can lead to serious injury to, or even the death of, the unborn child.

For example, look at what happened in a documented claim involving a young pregnant woman. She was a nineteen year old pregnant with her first child and was admitted to the hospital presenting with continuous abdominal pain. The nurse who examined her documented that the woman's abdomen was hard and that she was experiencing constant uterine contractions.

A short time later, the woman also began having significant vaginal bleeding. The nurse showed the woman where the linen closet was located and told her that she needed to get towels from the closet and use the towels to soak up the blood on her own, but the nurse failed to notify a doctor of the situation.

After about four to five hours after her admission to the hospital, the woman started having extreme pain. Now there were two symptoms that are highly suggestive of a placental abruption.When the baby's fetal heart rate went flat a mere five minutes later, the nurse did not attempt to wake the baby in order to rule out hypoxia and again did not contact a doctor. The nurse merely saw this development not as a ominous sign that the baby was in a highly dangerous condition but as a reaction to the pain medication administered to the woman. The nurse failed to contact a doctor until fifty minutes after the fetal monitor went flat.

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When a doctor did arrive, meconium was found and progressive deep decelerations of the baby's heart rate were observed. The attending obstetrician then performed an emergency C-section. No anesthesiologist was available so the physician performed the C-section using only local anesthesia. During the procedure, the doctor saw that placental abruption had occurred. The baby exhibited signs of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy - (damage caused to the central nervous system due to a lack of oxygen) which testing later confirmed. Over time, it was discovered that the child was developmentally and mentally retarded.

A malpractice lawsuit was pursued on behalf of the parents and the child alleging that the damage to the child was preventable had the nurse realized that there was a serious complication in the pregnancy and notified a physician of the situation. In an attempt to lessen the amount of the settlement, the defense argued that the child was only expected to live to be approximately 10 years old and would not benefit from the therapy so the cost of the therapy should not be part of the settlement. The child needs occupations therapy, speech therapy, and physical therapy. The law firm representing the mother and father and the child, however, were able to successfully settle the lawsuit for $1,100,000, with $60,000 being given to the parents and the rest to the child.

by: Joseph Hernandez

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