At Thomas & Wan, we have handled birth injury cases for years, and we know what to look for in evaluating your child’s case. Whether your child has cerebral palsy, hypoxia, shoulder dystocia, brain injury or another birth injury as a result of malpractice, we have the expertise and experience to help you and your family get justice.

Cerebral Palsy and Birth Injuries Due to Medical Malpractice

Why does your child have cerebral palsy? The simplest answer to this question is because your child has brain damage.  Why does your child have brain damage? There are many possible answers but in general, there are two problems that can cause cerebral palsy:

Is Cerebral Palsy Preventable?

When genetic abnormalities do NOT play a role in causing cerebral palsy, the condition is preventable as long as mothers and doctors take measures to minimize the following risk factors:

Additionally, medical professionals can prevent the brain damage that causes cerebral palsy by performing emergency C-sections as soon as the baby’s heart rate begins to dramatically changed or any other signs of distress arise.

When is it Malpractice?

Some examples of malpractice by doctors or nurses that may result in birth injuries such as cerebral palsy include:

Cerebral Palsy and the Risks of Induce Labor from Pitocin

You’re in labor.  You’ve been waiting for hours.  Your doctor suggests Pitocin to speed up the contractions.  What are the risks? 

Pitocin is the brand name given to a synthesized form of oxytocin, a hormone naturally produced by a woman’s body when she goes into labor.  When an infant is overdue or labor is taking a dangerously long time, using Pitocin to induce labor can be life-saving. Unfortunately, its misuse can be extremely hazardous for mothers and infants alike.

When the synthetic hormone is injected into a woman’s body, it is supposed to result in uterine contractions and may initiate labor, speed up slow labor or stop bleeding after the baby is born. While Pitocin is generally effective in assisting with the labor process, it does carry some significant risks, especially if there is excessive use of this hormone.

Even in the best case scenarios, though, this can make childbirth much more painful for the mother.

Unfortunately, increased pain is not the only risk of Pitocin. As with all drugs, it is impossible to predict exactly how it will affect any individual person. Fetal monitoring is critical when the mother is given Pitocin. The mother must also be monitored to identify any complications.  If the hospital staff fails to do so, the mother may experience hyper-stimulation of uterine contractions.

One widely recognized side effect of the improper use of Pitocin is that of uterine hyperstimulation.  When uterine hyperstimulation occurs as a result of tbe excessive use of Pitocin, the uterine muscles will contract too frequently or otherwise will not relax between contractions.

Uterine hyperstimulation can result in a decrease in the perfusion of oxygenated blood from the mother’s placenta to the baby, thereby exposing the baby to the risk of hypoxia and acidosis.

Possible side effects of uterine hyper-stimulation include threats to the mother and child, such as:

Complications like these can cause long-lasting injury to the child, including brain damage due to oxygen deprivation, cerebral palsy, musculoskeletal injuries, and potentially even death.

If the hospital staff is following the standards of care, the risks of Pitocin can be managed. However, even small mistakes and failing to respond quickly can be enough to cause severe and permanent harm to the baby.

Legal Help for The Youngest Victims
If your baby or a loved one has suffered the effects of injuries at birth such as cerebral palsy or other brain injuries, please contact us today for a free case evaluation by our attorneys.  Thomas & Wan has handled many birth injury cases, and can provide you with immediate advice today.