Image credit: istockphoto.com/portfolio/designer491
Parents may be surprised to know that birth injuries are not only possible but common, affecting approximately one in five births. This is because a newborn baby’s head is most likely disproportionately large and rests against the cervix for about a week after delivery. The severity of the birth injury depends on the type, size, and severity of the trauma. Despite some medical precautions taken during pregnancy by health care providers, such as ultrasounds and prenatal testing, these professionals cannot evaluate what exactly happens when labor takes place. It is only after the birth has occurred that a full assessment of the baby’s condition can be performed.
Staff at the hospital are immediately responsible for any injuries that occur to babies delivered there. However, they do not have time to examine all babies and may not notice some birth injuries until later or even after the condition has become serious. In other cases, a baby may be delivered with injuries that are not immediately apparent to the staff at the hospital. The typical birth injury is caused by the excessive use of force by those who help deliver the baby. Common birth injuries include spinal cord injuries, skull fractures, and brain damage. In most cases, however, these injuries would have been preventable if proper medical procedures had been followed during delivery. It is important for parents to be educated about birth injuries so that they can take appropriate steps to prevent them from ever happening.
What is the Standard of Care for Doctors?
Doctors are required to follow a standard of care that seeks to prevent birth injuries. This standard can also be called the Point of View Standard, and it is based on two principles, that every case and every delivery must be testified by the doctor as to what actually occurred during the delivery process and that injuries must be reported only when they are likely to cause death or permanent disability. The Point of View Standard for preventing birth injuries has been used for years, with doctors assessing cases individually rather than in groups. This means that a doctor will assess the birth injuries of one baby in comparison to only that specific baby, not other babies who could be at risk.
There are different types of birth injuries. Subdural Hematoma is a condition in which there is bleeding between the skull and brain. Because this type of bleeding cannot be seen by any medical methods, it must be diagnosed by medical imaging techniques such as an MRI scan or CT scan. This type of injury can cause deafness or mental impairment. Cerebral Palsy is a condition of muscle weakness that results from a brain injury. This type of injury would never be picked up by a normal doctor, and therefore, prevention efforts should focus on preventing this type of injury.
Proper Prenatal Care:
A doctor has a responsibility to take steps to prevent birth injuries by ensuring that the mother of the baby receives proper prenatal care. There are certain actions that doctors should take. In addition, if there are any abnormalities in the fetus, a doctor is expected to provide as much information about the risks of these abnormalities as possible so that parents can make informed decisions about whether or not they would like to continue with the pregnancy. In many cases, doctors are forced by law in certain jurisdictions to provide this type of information. A doctor can be held liable if he or she fails to provide proper information to the pregnant woman regarding the dangers of certain risks.
A doctor who is aware that a woman may be suffering from an overly stressful situation should address it. A doctor should never ignore a woman’s symptoms of stress since this can lead to serious complications during pregnancy, including toxemia, which can cause physical and mental injuries to the baby. A doctor should avoid working in such a stressful environment as much as possible so as not to inflict additional stress on the mother. Doctors should also endeavor to relieve any stress that they or other staff members may be causing while performing regular duties at the hospital.
What Should Doctors Look For During Pregnancy?
There are certain factors that doctors should be aware of during a pregnancy that could suggest an increased risk of birth injuries. Some of these factors include the mother’s age, weight, and ethnicity. High blood pressure is a factor because it can lead to complications such as premature birth. Smoking is never recommended during pregnancy since it can cause serious harm to the fetus and may lead to complications and birth injuries.
The doctor should also ensure that the mother’s diet meets all the correct requirements during pregnancy. A woman who consumes foods that are high in protein, calcium, folic acid, and iron is less likely to develop dangerous conditions such as anemia. The doctor should check not only the mother’s physical health but also her mental health since anxiety can lead to complications in childbirth. The doctor should also monitor the baby while it is in utero since there are certain risks that can be revealed through the fetus’s ability to feel pain.
What Should Parents Ask About?
Since birth injuries often take place in large hospitals, parents who suspect their babies have been injured must contact the hospital as soon as they notice anything suspicious. Parents are entitled to obtain information on the condition of their baby after it is born, especially if they have been informed of a potential injury. In most cases, parents can ask the hospital staff for a detailed report regarding their baby’s condition. Parents should be able to discover whether or not there was any delay in treating their baby when they arrived at the hospital. In addition, they should request details on any treatments that were used, even if such treatments appear to be minor.
Conclusion:
The standard of care for preventing birth injuries requires doctors to assess each case individually. This means that a doctor will assess the birth injuries of one baby in comparison to only that specific baby, not other babies who could be at risk. There are different types of birth injuries, and doctors need to know what risks are involved so that they can take appropriate steps to prevent them. It is also important for parents to be educated about birth injuries so that they can take appropriate steps to prevent them from ever happening.
