Hypertension, Preeclampsia and Birth Injury
Doctors need to carefully monitor pregnant women for these risk factors
When a birth injury occurs or a women’s health is at risk during her pregnancy, high blood pressure may be to blame. That’s because high blood pressure (hypertension) is especially common among pregnant women due to complications like preeclampsia, and it’s a significant maternal risk factor for birth injuries.
Many women who develop high blood pressure during their pregnancy can be treated for such a medical condition. However, obstetricians and doctors sometimes fail to diagnose or misdiagnose high blood pressure as another medical issue. Other times, they don’t diagnose the problem at all, resulting in a high-risk pregnancy.
When this happens, medical negligence may be to blame. However, proving that medical professionals made a mistake can often be difficult. That’s because they often insist they didn’t do anything wrong. Instead, they often hire an attorney to defend their actions and deny your injury claim.
Cleveland birth injury lawyer John A. Lancione can help you hold medical professionals accountable for their actions. The founder of The Lancione Law Firm, attorney Lancione has been standing up for the rights of women and families in Ohio and nationwide for more than three decades. Our law firm focuses exclusively on birth injury and medical negligence claims. That’s why many attorneys refer such cases to our award-winning law firm. They know we know how to get the job done right.
What is hypertension?
Hypertension is a medical term for abnormally high blood pressure. Hypertension is normally defined as someone who has a blood pressure above 140/90, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Approximately 47 percent of adults have some form of mild to severe hypertension, according to the CDC. Women with a history of hypertension should be carefully monitored by their doctor during their pregnancy. That’s because high blood pressure is often associated with various types of birth injuries involving the fetus and the mother. It’s also the reason why high blood pressure is considered a serious health issue often associated with high-risk pregnancies.
If diagnosed early and correctly, doctors can treat women with hypertension with medications designed to lower their blood pressure. If not, serious health problems due to medical negligence can easily occur.
What is preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia is a potentially fatal medical condition involving high blood pressure that affects pregnant women. Even women who have never had high blood pressure or a history of high blood pressure can suddenly develop preeclampsia during their pregnancy.
Preeclampsia often develops during the second trimester in a woman’s pregnancy at about the 20-week mark. If preeclampsia is not diagnosed and treated immediately, many women can sustain organ damage, including liver failure and kidney failure. Seizures known as eclampsia are also common in women suffering from preeclampsia.
In addition, the life of the woman and her fetus may be at risk due to preeclampsia. This is why obstetricians and other doctors need to carefully monitor a woman’s blood pressure throughout her pregnancy and take immediate action in such situations.
What are common warning signs?
Symptoms of high blood pressure can cover a wide range. Some of the warning signs to watch for include:
- Severe headaches.
- Vomiting or nausea.
- Blood in the urine.
- Blurred vision or sensitivity to light.
- Abdominal pain, usually on the right side.
- Chest pain.
- Shortness of breath.
- Nosebleeds.
- Fatigue or difficulty concentrating.
You know your body best. If you are experiencing or did experience any of these symptoms during your pregnancy and something went wrong, don’t simply take your doctor’s words at face value. Many birth injuries occur due to undiagnosed preeclampsia or other mistakes made by medical professionals. This is why it’s critical that pregnant women get the support and care they need and deserve. That’s why Ohio birth injury attorney John A. Lancione wants to meet with you.
Hold medical professionals accountable. Contact our Ohio law firm
When you have The Lancione Law Firm on your side, you can hold medical professionals accountable for their actions. We know what evidence to look for and how to carefully analyze medical records to determine if negligence was a factor. We also often consult with medical experts for a more in-depth analysis in order to gain insights into what went wrong.
Many times, medical professionals, insurance companies and their attorneys agree to negotiate in good faith and make a fair settlement offer that covers your medical bills and other injury-related expenses. If not, we will not hesitate to file a lawsuit or take other legal action on your behalf.
Learn more about your rights. Contact our law firm and schedule a free consultation Cleveland medical malpractice lawyer John A. Lancione. You can reach us online or call (440) 331-6100 or (877) 515-4369. We handle birth injury negligence cases nationwide.