Does the Time of Delivery Increase the Risk of Complications for Your Newborn?

A recent story in the New York Times reported on a study that analyzed whether the “when” of your baby’s delivery could affect that delivery. Per the data, the paper reported, having a baby in the egosvening or on the weekend, in the month of July, or during the holidays may increase the possibility your baby may not get the care he or she needs.

The researchers analyzed over two million births and found that more than 21,000 women suffered complications during delivery. The team specifically tracked any maternal complications that should have reasonably been controlled by the hospital staff, such as “severe perineal laceration, ruptured uterus, unplanned hysterectomy, admission to an intensive care unit, or unplanned operating procedure following delivery.”

The results of the study are leading medical professionals to think through how hospitals can better serve mothers and children during these different time periods. Mothers, after all, cannot control when they go into delivery. Hospitals should control the possibility of medical mistakes.

The study’s findings

The Risk Analysis study specifically found that daytime pregnancies had the best medical results. Pregnancies during the following times had the following risks:

• Night shifts. The possibility of complications for the mother and child rose by 21%.
• Weekends. The risk increased by nine percent.
• Holidays. The risk of complications increased by 29%.

The study also found that the dangers of complications in teaching hospitals rose 28% in July, the Times reported, when new residents started their training. As the months go by and the residents acquire competent skills, the risks decrease until, by June of the following year, the risk of complications is directly comparable to the risk of daytime complications.

The Risk Analysis study used control groups to ensure “race, education, maternal and gestational age, congenital anomalies and other maternal and infant risk factors” wouldn’t affect the outcome, per the Times.

Keeping mothers and newborns safe

Regardless of when you give birth, you have the right to expect that your doctors will protect you and your baby, and be prepared in the event of an emergency. Additional well-known birth injuries that hospital doctors and staff should be prepared for include:

• Cerebral palsy. The lack of oxygen during surgery can lead to the development to cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a serious disorder that affects a child’s cognitive, social, physical, and emotional abilities.
• Shoulder dystocia. A newborn’s shoulder can suffer nerve damage if the delivery is not handled properly. Shoulder dystocia affects the arm and hand in addition to the shoulder. While the damage is normally temporary, it can be permanent.
• Cerebral ischemia. If the newborn’s brain doesn’t get enough blood, the newborn may suffer memory loss, weak muscles, and urinary incontinence.
• Forceps injuries and vacuum extraction injuries. These tools can harm a baby if the child needs helping emerging from the birth canal. OB/GYNs must take are not to apply too much force, and to monitor for the signs of fetal distress.

When hospitals, doctors, and staff make medical mistakes, they deserve to be held accountable for all the harm to the baby that they cause. In some cases, the harm may cause permanent damage and may require a lifetime of medical care. If doctors or other medical professionals make mistakes that cause birth injuries, the experienced Phoenix birth injury lawyers at Plattner Verderame, P.C. can help. To schedule a free consultation, call us today at 602-266-2002 or complete our contact form.