$4,000,000 Settlement Reached Over Error By Doctors And Nurses That Led to Infant's Cerebral Palsy

By: J. Hernandez | Posted: 10th June 2010

The fetal heart rate monitor provides doctors and nurses with valuable information regarding the health of the unborn baby while the mother is in labor. The information from the monitor is used to track whether the baby is doing well or is in fetal distress. If such indications appear measures need to be taken immediately to counteract the situation or to deliver the infant. Waiting can result in serious and permanent harm to the baby. By not acting right away physicians and nurses may be acting in a manner that fails to satisfy the standard of care. If this does end in harm to the baby, these physicians and nurses might be liable for medical malpractice.



Look at a published case concerning what had been an uneventful pregnancy, the pregnant woman was thirteen days beyond her due date. She was hospitalized for the planned delivery of her baby. After her admission to the hospital, one of the physicians ruptured her membranes in an effort to augment her labor. An entry in her chart documented that there was "scant to no amniotic fluid" observed. At some point the fetal heart rate monitor began to show non-reassuring tracings. Nevertheless, 6 hours after that a drug was administered so as to stimulate her contractions. Even though this drug has a known risk bringing about hyperstimulation, the administration of the medication was consistently increased during the period of the next several hours.



During this time, the unborn baby's heart rate revealed noticeable 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 counteract the decelerations yet neither nurse did anything about the continued administration of the drug. About 7 hours subsequent to the first time the medication was given, the fetal heart rate started steadily increasing. This was a sign that the unborn child was seeking to compensate for the lack of oxygen.



Finally, almost 4 hours following the first signs of fetal distree this doctor decided to try a vacuum extraction. This doctor made 9 attempts at vacuum extraction. As the obstetrician attempted the vacuum extraction, the fetal heart rate readings deteriorated to the point suspicious for terminal bradycardia. Here the obstetrician finally ordered an emergency C-section. This doctor delivered the infant a bit more than one hour following beginning the use of vacuum extraction.



The chart documented the presence of dense meconium. Upon being born, the baby did not have a heart rate and was not breathing. Resuscitation attempts succeeded in reviving the child. The baby was taken to NICU unitThere, the baby began experiencing seizures and was. The law firm that handled the resulting claim documented that a $4,000,000 settlement was reached in the case


You can learn more about fetal distress and other types of birth injuries such as group b strep matters by visiting the website
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Tags: intervals, baseline, medication, due date, medical malpractice, contractions, pregnant woman, unborn baby, unborn child, lack of oxygen, amniotic fluid, heart rate monitor, doctors and nurses, variability, fetal distress