Physician Settles Claim With Family Of Loss Of Newborn Because Of Not Administering Antibiotics

Physician Settles Claim With Family Of Loss Of Newborn Because Of Not Administering Antibiotics

Group b strep poses substantial challenges when it affects an infant.An infant with a a group b strep infection is at serious jeopardy of severe complications and even death. The infection can abruptly develop into pneumonia, sepsis (an infection that advances across the body), and meningitis. Doctors realize that a mother who is carrying the bacteria can transmit it to her baby during childbirth. Given risks associated with the bacteria in a baby physicians thus generally treat expectant mothers who are either known or suspected of carrying the bacteria with antibiotics during labor.

There are thus some situations which doctors take into account when figuring out if there is an increased risk that the expectant mother will transmit the bacteria to her baby. The mother's medical history includes the detection of the GBS bacteria during a prior pregnancy. The mother was Group B Strep positive during the current pregnancy (asymptomatic expectant mothers are normally screened for Group B Strep during weeks 35 to 37 of the pregnancy). Physicians also in the main agree that the antibiotics be given in the course of labor when the pregnant woman displays any of the risk factors for colonization the bacteria. The type of risk factor is the rupture of the expectant mother's membranes more than eighteen hours before labor. Should the baby does endure a harm (including blindness, a brain injury, or a seizure disorder) as a result of the failure by a doctor to provide antibiotics under any of the circumstances above or any others contained in the guidelines, there may exist medical malpractice liability.

Let's examine a documented claim in which a child was born in the hospital after the baby's woman, age nineteen, went in before reaching full term in the pregnancy. The expectant mother's membranes had ruptured in excess of 18ghteen hours before she went into labor. The physician in charge of her care was informed of this. Despite having this significant piece of information the doctor did not administer antibiotics to protect from the potential transmission of the group b strep bacteria to the infant. Once birth her infant was depressed and needed resuscitation. The resuscitation measures were effective and the medical providers recognized that the complications were because of a group b streptococcus infection. Unfortunately, the newborn died of additional infection related complications 2 days after being born. The mother went forward with a claim and the law firm that represented her reported that following trial a jury awarded the mother $457,000 for her loss.

The matter discussed above shows why it is so important for a physician to establish if an expectant mother carries or is at risk of carrying the group b strep bacteria so that the right determination can be made as to whether antibiotics should be used during labor. A doctor who fails to administer antibiotics in a situation like this may be liable for malpractice.

POST COMMENT

Private Banks And Family Offices in Switzerland Your Family Tree Website: Guidelines Enjoy Cheap Family Discount Holidays Moncler help all your family members Best Security Products for Home and Family Selecting the Right Dentist for Your Family Top Five Fun Winter Weekend Family Activities & Ideas Nanny Referral Service-Nannies For Any Innovative Family Unit Family Dentists: Making the Trip to the Dentist Researching European Family Trees Spice Up Family Dinners with Funny Pranks and Stories A quick guide to family cruise deals Make your family February half term break a special one