Phoenix Pitocin Injury Lawyers
Birth injury lawyers fighting for Arizona families injured by labor and delivery drugs
Childbirth creates many physical and emotional changes for expecting mothers and their children. Doctors and medical personnel are expected to monitor, manage, and in some instances, mitigate these changes. The use of drugs such as Pitocin, anesthesia, and antibiotics can help preserve the health and wellbeing of patients during labor and delivery.
However, in some cases, healthcare professionals fail to review patient charts for prior conditions or allergies, administer the incorrect quantity, or neglect to closely monitor the effects of a drug on a patient leading to serious injuries and in some cases death. At Plattner Verderame, P.C., our Phoenix birth injury lawyers will fight on your behalf for the compensation you or your child deserve due to medical negligence when administering labor and delivery drugs.
What is Pitocin?
Pitocin is a synthetic version of the hormone oxytocin, used to induce labor by stimulating the uterus and making it contract. Women may need to have labor induced because they fail to go into labor on their own after their due date, or because of other medical conditions that put both the mother and child at risk.
When administering Pitocin, both mother and baby must be closely monitored throughout the labor and delivery for their response to the drug. Pitocin has the potential to put much more stress on an unborn baby and a mother’s uterus, as the contractions it causes may be much stronger and faster than natural contractions that would occur on their own. Women who are given Pitocin may have strong, powerful contractions that are close together.
What are the risks of Pitocin?
According to Healthline, Pitocin can potentially pose these serious risks:
- Overstimulation of the uterus
- Infection
- Rupture of the uterus
- Fetal distress
- Drop in fetal heart rate
- Fetal death
Researchers have also shown a link between an increased risk of a child born with autism spectrum disorder and labor-inducing drugs.
Because of the risks that can occur, medical personnel must monitor both the mother and the baby’s heart rate throughout the duration of labor and delivery. If something is a bit off and the heart rate suddenly changes, medical personnel would receive an immediate alert, causing them to rush over to the room where the mother is in labor. They would need to go to the patient’s room, continue to monitor the heart rate, and then decide on any additional steps that should be taken. For example, if the baby is found to be in distress, the mother may need to undergo an emergency c-section.
Antibiotic overdose during labor and delivery
Treating infections in pregnant women calls for great care and attention by medical personnel. It is vital to keep infections from passing onto the child, but also vital to avoid antibiotic overdose to the fetus. Women will often receive a prescription for antibiotics when they have an infection, but the medical professionals must provide a proper dosage of the antibiotic for the woman. If the woman is taking too much of the antibiotic, it could cause problems for the unborn baby. Some antibiotics have been linked to:
- Anencephaly (deformed skull and small brain)
- Cleft lip
- Heart defects
- Hearing loss
- Eye defects
You may have noticed that your child has at least one or more of these issues. If you believe you or your child has been a victim of medical negligence while administering antibiotics during labor and delivery, contact the birth injury lawyers at Plattner Verderame, P.C. to discuss filing a claim. We will go over the details of the situation with you to determine if you have a legitimate case against the medical personnel or hospital involved.
What is epidural anesthesia?
Epidural anesthesia is regional anesthesia resulting in decreased sensation in the lower half of the body meant to reduce discomfort of childbirth. Women often experience an undeniable amount of pain while in labor. Because the contractions are often so severe, it is quite common for women to choose to get an epidural to avoid experiencing as much pain while focusing on the delivery.
While pain relief can be beneficial for many mothers in labor, it does come with own set of risks. Epidurals may cause blood pressure to drop in expecting mothers and changes to fetal heart rate, calling for active monitoring by medical professionals to avoid serious injury. Epidural anesthesia can also make it difficult to push during delivery, which may lead medical professionals to use additional medications or instruments such as forceps and extractors for assistance.
Although forceps were once commonly used to assist with pulling the baby from the vaginal canal, they have the potential to cause birth injuries in newborns. They should only be used as a last resort. If an obstetrician appears to use forceps right away without allowing the mother to push naturally and an injury to the baby occurs, he or she is liable for those injuries.
Let one of our Phoenix birth injury lawyers help
If your doctor failed in his or her duties to provide an acceptable standard of care while administering labor and delivery drugs during your child’s birth, the lawyers at Plattner Verderame, P.C. want to fight for you. We examine every element of your case, reviewing any and all medical histories and records. We will put together a record of what went wrong and when, to prove that the doctor and/or hospital should be liable for your injuries. We know that risks are involved with the use of labor and delivery drugs and we know that patient should receive proper monitoring when these drugs are administered. If you need help, we are there for you. Call our office at 602-783-8793 or complete the contact form found online to schedule a