Fetal Risk Factors and Birth Injuries

Learn how an experienced Ohio birth injury attorney can help your family

Parents trust medical professionals to provide exceptional medical care, especially when a woman is pregnant. That’s why obstetricians, doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals undergo years of rigorous training.

Unfortunately, many medical professionals make mistakes that result in serious birth injuries. Each year, an estimated 26,200 children are born with a birth injury and 20,900 infant deaths occur nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

And while there are many reasons why medical errors occur, one of the most common causes of such injuries involves medical professionals not taking fetal risk factors seriously during a woman’s pregnancy. When that happens, it’s critical that parents take steps right away to hold the at-fault healthcare professional or institution responsible for its actions. That’s why we want to meet with you.

The Cleveland law firm you can count on in a crisis

For more than three decades, Cleveland birth injury lawyer John A. Lancione has been standing up for the rights of families in Ohio and nationwide. One of the founders of The Lancione Law Firm, attorney Lancione has a national reputation for this skillful handling of birth injury claims. Our law firm only handles cases involving birth injuries and medical negligence. That’s why other lawyers often refer such complex legal cases to our law firm.

Our firm is also well known for our track record of success. In case after case, we consistently obtain sizable financial settlements and verdicts for families. Overall, we have recovered more than $350 million and counting for our clients, including one of Ohio’s largest malpractice verdicts. Case results matter here.

We also realize your case is about more than just money. It’s about holding doctors and other medical professionals accountable for their actions. That’s why we never lose sight of what matters most – your best interests. If you ever have a question about your legal case, you can call attorney Lancione directly anytime on his personal cellphone. We’re here for you when you need us most, no matter how long your case takes.

What are common fetal risk factors?

During an expectant mother’s pregnancy, there are many things that can go wrong that could put her unborn infant’s health and well-being at risk. Some of the most common fetal risk factors include:

Abnormal Fetal Position – If the fetus is not in the right position during the pregnancy or the baby’s delivery, serious injuries to the fetus can easily occur.
Premature Birth – Obstetricians need to be aware of any medical conditions with the fetus or the mother which could result in the baby being born prematurely before fully developing.
Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) – This medical term refers to babies that develop at a slower rate, often resulting in a smaller than normal baby who’s more suspectable to infections and other illnesses.
Macrosomia – This medical term describes significantly larger than normal babies, who can be born with a wide range of injuries and can cause a difficult delivery.
Placental Abruption – A serious medical condition in which the placenta separates from the uterus during pregnancy, often resulting in less oxygen and nutrients for the fetus. The mother’s health can also be at risk due to severe vaginal bleeding.
Labor and Delivery Problems – Medical complications during the baby’s delivery can put the newborn infant and mother’s health at risk. Common labor complications include fetal distress, failure to progress and perinatal asphyxia (infants who fail to initiate and maintain normal breathing).
C-Section Errors / Delayed C-Section – Mistakes made when performing a cesarean section or delaying performing this surgical procedure can put the fetus and the mother’s health at risk.
Delayed Delivery – Many times, medical emergencies arise during a woman’s pregnancy or the baby’s delivery, which require the infant to be delivered immediately. Any delays at such critical moments can have catastrophic consequences.
Misuse of Forceps and Extractors – Obstetricians and other medical professionals delivering a baby need to make sure they properly use forceps, extractors and other medical devices. Otherwise, injuries to the infant or the mother are possible.
Resuscitation Errors – Infants who cannot breathe on their own or breathe normally soon after they’re born need to be immediately resuscitated and assisted by medical professionals. Otherwise, serious or potentially fatal infant injuries can occur.
Medication Errors – Many fetal injuries occur due to the wrong medications being administered, the correct medications not being given or the wrong dosage given to a pregnant mother or newborn baby.
Dystocia – Medical term used to describe an infant stuck inside a mother during delivery, either due to the fetus being larger than normal or the fetus not being positioned correctly before birth.
Hypoxia Anoxia – Medical term for oxygen deprivation injuries (hypoxia), including total lack of oxygen (anoxia). Such injuries can result in organ failure or infant death.
Umbilical Cord Prolapse – A serious and potentially life-threatening medical condition in which the umbilical cord moves from its normal position (prolapsed) and becomes trapped between the fetus and often the cervix, resulting in reduced oxygen supply to the fetus.

These are just some of the fetal risk factors obstetricians, other doctors and medical professionals need to be aware of when treating pregnant women and their infants. Other situations and injuries are common.

In each case, a thorough investigation should be conducted to determine exactly what went wrong. That’s our job. And we welcome the opportunity to help you and find the evidence you need to build the strongest possible legal case.

Get the law firm that puts your child’s best interests first. Contact us

You might think you don’t even need a lawyer if a medical professional clearly acted in a negligent or unethical manner that resulted in your infant’s injury. In such cases, an official investigation will likely be conducted. In Ohio, such investigations are performed by the State Medical Board of Ohio.

But don’t simply rely on such investigations to find out what went wrong. Government agencies are only concerned with determining if a doctor or another healthcare professional violated standard medical protocols. They do not focus on whether you’re fairly compensated for your medical expenses and other bills, which can add up fast. And if you don’t take action, you could end up having to pay these bills yourself.

If negligence occurred, you are legally entitled to receive money for all your injury-related expenses. That’s why it’s important to have our legal team on your side, building the strongest possible legal case. Contact our law firm and schedule a free consultation with Ohio birth injury attorney John A. Lancione. You can reach us online or call (440) 331-6100 or (877) 515-4369 to schedule an appointment.