Medical Staff Pay $4.0 Million After Having Ignored Indications Of Fetal Distress

In the course of labor, expecting mothers are generally attached to a fetal heart rate monitor

. The information from the monitor is used to check on whether the baby is well or is in fetal distress. Should such signs appear measures should be taken without delay to counteract the situation or to deliver the baby. Any delay can lead to significant and permanent harm to the baby. By delaying taking timely and appropriate action doctors and nurses might be acting in a manner that does not meet the standard of care. In the event this does bring about injury to the child, these physicians and nurses might be liable for medical malpractice.

Look at a published case regarding what had been an uneventful pregnancy, the expectant mother was 13 days beyond her due date. She was hospitalized for the planned delivery of her baby. After her admission , one of the physicians ruptured her membranes in an effort to augment her labor. Her records reveal that there was "scant to no amniotic fluid" noted. At some point the fetal heart rate monitor started to exhibit non-reassuring tracings. Yet, six hours after that medication was used so as to increase her contractions. Despite the fact that this drug has a known risk bringing about hyperstimulation, the use of the medication was continuously increased throughout the following several hours.

During this period, the unborn child's heart rate exhibited marked late decelerations, an increasing baseline, along with intervals of decreasing variability the medication did nothing to further her labor. On more than one occasion, two nurses attempted to deal with the decelerations yet neither did anything about the continued use of the drug. Approximately seven hours following the initial administration of the drug, the fetal heart rate began progressively increasing. This was an indication that the baby was seeking to compensate for the lack of oxygen.

Nearly 4 hours following the first signs of fetal distree the obstetrician decided to try a vacuum extraction. This doctor made multiple attempts (nine in total) at vacuum extraction. As this doctor tried the vacuum extraction, the fetal heart rate readings deteriorated to a level suggesting terminal bradycardia. When this happened this doctor finally ordered an emergency C-section. The obstetrician delivered the baby a little more than one hour following beginning the use of vacuum extraction.

The records documented the presence of dense meconium. Upon being born, the baby did not have a heart rate and was not breathing. Resuscitation efforts were able to revive the baby. The newborn was transferred to NICU unit where the baby began having seizures and was. The law firm that handled the resulting lawsuit published that a $4,000,000 settlement was reached in the case

Medical Staff Pay $4.0 Million After Having Ignored Indications Of Fetal Distress

By: J. Hernandez

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