When a woman is expecting a baby, it should be one of the most joyous times of her life. Sadly, things can happen during birth that can result in severe injuries or even death in the child. One of the most common birth injuries is hypoxia. The following is some information on hypoxia and the legal process you should know about if this happens to you:
What Is Hypoxia?
Hypoxia is a condition in which a baby is deprived of oxygen. When this happens during birth, it can result in a general medical condition of the entire body or centralized to one area of the body. If hypoxia happens during birth and no medical intervention is done, it can result in severe birth injuries or death.
What Can Happen During Hypoxia?
There are a variety of issues caused by hypoxia during birth. One of the most common anomalies is cerebral palsy. The lack of oxygen to the brain can also cause additional physical or mental disabilities that a child will have to live with for the rest of its life.
Some hypoxia-related injuries can be mild while others are more catastrophic. If the hypoxia is treated immediately through the stabilization of oxygen to the brain, the lasting impact can be more minimal. However, when the problem is not directly addressed or missed completely, the medical consequences can be significant. The medical issues caused by untreated hypoxia can result in major financial consequences in terms of the need for lifelong medical treatment.
What Causes Hypoxia?
There are a variety of causes for hypoxia during the birthing process. Some of the more common causes include the prolapse of the umbilical cord or other cord damage, infection, insufficient placental care and abruption, and shoulder dystocia. If any of these issues are found early enough, a doctor or medical professional can ensure the baby and mother is safe from the possibility of hypoxia. If they are not caught early, the baby can suffer.
What Are Your Options?
If your child suffered a birth injury due to hypoxia and you believe your medical provider did not perform their due diligence and standard of care to prevent the problem, you may want to seek legal action. If your child has major defects due to hypoxia, you will need to financially provide for lifelong treatment. This can get expensive very quickly, and those responsible for the injury should provide you with compensation. Be sure to speak to a personal injury attorney right away if you are in this situation. Contact a personal injury attorney for more information.
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