subject: Infant Dies Fromgroup B Strep Infection After Physician Failed To Administer Antibiotics [print this page] Group b streptococcus presents substantial concerns when it impacts an infant.A newborn affected by a group b streptococcus infection is at serious danger of severe complications and even death. The infection could rapidly progress to sepsis, pneumonia or meningitis and may result in a significant disability. Since bacteria can be transmitted by a mother who carried the bacteria regardless if she was not symptomatic to her newborn during labor and delivery generally doctors concur that suitable antibiotics need to be administered in the course of labor if specific conditions are realized.
The conditions doctors generally take into consideration in determining whether to use antibiotics while the mother is in labor are as follow. The first is when the mother has a history of carrying the bacteria during a previous pregnancy. Routine screening between weeks 35 and 37 of the pregnancy showed the existence of the bacteria. Among the factors that places a woman at risk for Group B Streptococcus is when her membranes rupture in excess of 18 hours before labor. When a physician is aware of a known history or the existence of any of the risk factors but fails to use antibiotics and the infant afterwards acquires a group b streptococcus infection and endures severe harm as a result, the doctor may be liable for not meeting the standard of care.
Let's examine a reported lawsuit where a child was delivered in the hospital after the baby's woman, age nineteen, went in before reaching full term in the pregnancy. It was known by the doctor who delivered the infant that the woman had suffered a rupture of her membranes in excess of 18 hours preceding the commencement of labor. The doctor, however, did not provide appropriate antibiotics for Group B Strep. After delivery, the baby was not breathing. The medical staff at the hospital eventually became aware that this was caused by a group b streptococcus infection. Despite efforts at treatment by the hospital staff the newborn died 2 days after delivery on account of complications from the infection. The law firm that represented the baby's mother was able to report that the case went to trial and the jury returned a verdict in amount of $457,000.
This claim illustrates that a group b streptococcus infection may be deadly in a newborn. The need for antibiotics in cases where the pregnant woman has one or more risk factors is thus generally stressed by doctors. A doctor who fails to provide antibiotics in a circumstance such as this may be liable for malpractice.
