The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a specialized hospital wing that cares for premature infants and babies with health complications. If your baby requires NICU care after being delivered, you are forced to place your child’s life in the hands of experienced medical professionals. Oftentimes, you may not understand...
You expect your child’s birth to be the happiest day of your life. While you may not think about the possibility of your child being sick, it is estimated that one in every five babies is born with long-term health problems. If your newborn has a serious illness, they may...
A child’s birth should be a time of great joy. Unfortunately, that is not always the case, especially if your child sustained an intellectual or physical disability before, during, or after birth. If your child developed a lifelong disability caused by a physician’s failure to adhere to appropriate protocol, you...
Every pregnancy is unique to the person and the circumstances involved, and the same mother can experience very different pregnancies with each child. Some pregnancies, however, are labeled as high risk, and they require more exacting health care. All other pregnancies are deemed low-risk by default, but lower-risk is more...
The birth of a new family member is a momentous occasion worthy of celebration, but health risks are also involved. Sometimes, a C-section is considered the most prudent course of action concerning both the mother’s and the child’s health. When determining if a C-section is safer for you, your doctor...
Both a mother and her child can be injured during the birth process, and the losses experienced can be immense. When these injuries result from medical malpractice, the negligent medical professional – or medical facility – can be held liable for the legal damages suffered. If you or your baby...
Yes, there are different types of electronic fetal monitoring, including external, internal, and a combination of the two. Monitoring can be either periodic or continual. EFM records maternal contractions and the unborn baby’s heart rate and can signal fetal distress during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. While practitioners often use EFM...
Birth injuries can range from minor bruises that heal quickly to very serious neurological impairments that alter the course of their victims’ lives. Just like the rest, medical professionals and facilities can make mistakes. Still, when professional negligence is involved, they can be held legally responsible for the physical, financial,...
Bringing a new baby into the world is one of life’s greatest joys, but if you’re concerned that your child may have been injured in the process, it puts a considerable amount of stress on you that can be difficult to overcome. Because your child’s health and well-being are paramount,...
When mothers go through labor, many experience electronic fetal monitoring (EFM), which allows their attending doctors to assess how their unborn babies react to the stresses of labor. EFM helps medical professionals make essential decisions on the path forward toward healthy deliveries, and when applied appropriately, it can afford protection...
When negligence affects newborns in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), families understandably want to seek justice for the harm their children endure. Potential remedies in a NICU malpractice case in Harrisburg often include compensation designed to cover the tangible losses and intangible suffering experienced by the child and family....
Nothing is more important for expectant parents than the joy of a safe and healthy delivery. In some cases, a C-section, or cesarean section, becomes necessary to protect the health of both mother and baby. Yet, many are delayed, often arising from complications that emerge during labor. Delayed C-sections due...
When a birth injury happens, parents are often left wondering if the medical team provided the care and attention required during delivery. To prove that a birth injury was the result of medical malpractice, parents need to establish that the healthcare professionals did not meet the expected high standard of...
The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a highly specialized and delicate environment where newborns, particularly those who are premature or have complex health issues, receive intensive medical care. Due to the fragile nature of these patients, even the most minor medical errors can lead to life-altering consequences. Unfortunately, cases...
Many women die due to pregnancy-related causes, some of which are completely preventable. Whereas the number of mothers who experience birth injuries is widely unknown, these women often suffer chronic pain and psychological trauma that has long-lasting ramifications. These effects can prevent a person from having a meaningful life, being...
You may consider hiring a doula for a calmer, more relaxing birthing experience. A doula is a non-medical companion who can assist doctors and nurses by offering techniques to help a laboring mother cope with pain. A doula will not replace physicians or nurses but instead can help support your...
Childbirth is a miraculous and joyous event, but it can also be fraught with risks, especially with certain medical interventions. Forceps, or large and curved medical tongs, are tools that doctors sometimes use to assist in the delivery of a baby. While forceps can be life-saving in certain situations, their...
Cesarean sections, commonly known as C-sections, often serve as a life-saving procedure during childbirth. Doctors choose this type of delivery when complications arise such as when natural vaginal birth becomes risky for the mother or baby. However, if medical professionals delay this procedure, it can lead to severe consequences. Often,...
Delayed births stand out as a significant contributor to birth injuries. When labor extends beyond 18 hours, it raises a red flag. This protracted period can have adverse effects on the newborn, particularly impacting the delicate balance within the infant’s brain. The clock ticks: Risks amplify with prolonged labor Extended...
The birth of a child is an extraordinary and joyous event. However, complications during childbirth can result in Birth Injuries that may have long-lasting effects on both the child and their family. In some cases, these injuries may be due to medical malpractice, which occurs when healthcare professionals fail to...
Cerebral palsy includes a group of disorders caused by damage to the brain before, during or shortly after birth. Unfortunately, CP can occur due to medical negligence during the birthing process. How can you find out if your child has cerebral palsy? CP affects muscle tone, movement and posture. Most...
Welcoming a new baby into your home can be one of your life’s most exciting and fulfilling moments. While most people understand that there are childbirth risks, your doctors and medical professionals should take all appropriate precautions to prevent severe or life-threatening injuries. When it comes to birth injuries head...
After a safe and healthy pregnancy and delivery, you may feel as if it is now smooth sailing and the worst is behind you. But for some women, the time after the birth becomes the most dangerous. Postpartum preeclampsia is a potentially deadly condition that develops after delivery. It involves...
Pregnancy and childbirth is a rewarding and exhausting process that many people will experience plenty of ups and downs during. The pain of childbirth is one thing that most people do not want to experience, though. Fortunately, with modern medicine and technology, it is sometimes possible to numb out that...
Over the course of a mother’s pregnancy, it is possible for her to develop gestational diabetes. This affects the way cells use sugar like any other form of diabetes, but it often resolves after the birth of the child. However, gestational diabetes can still potentially cause harm to the unborn...
When you go into labor, it is advisable to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. After all, you probably do not want to give birth unassisted at home, in your car or anywhere else. This is because you want to take full advantage of modern medicine. After you...
The time during a birth may feel rushed and confusing. As you push, you may not notice the intense pain you and your baby are feeling until after the delivery. Forceps are one tool that can leave lasting pain for you both if not used correctly. Learning more about what...
If you are expecting to welcome a new baby into your family, you are probably looking forward to holding your son or daughter for the first time. You probably are not, however, ready for the discomfort that comes with labor. Fortunately, modern medicine offers anesthesia to help mitigate your pain....
Gestational diabetes can develop during your pregnancy. Like other forms of diabetes, it affects the way your cells use sugar. Unlike other forms of diabetes, it may be temporary, resolving with the birth of your baby. Unfortunately, gestational diabetes can cause complications that can harm your baby. The Mayo Clinic...
Cerebral palsy includes a group of movement disorders. If you suspect your child may have CP, he or she may have muscle weakness or an inability to use certain muscle groups. While some children may develop cerebral palsy due to abnormalities, others may develop cerebral palsy due to malpractice. According...
If your labor lasted for more than 18 hours after your contractions began, you may have experienced what the medical community refers to as “prolonged labor.” You and your baby may now also live with the consequences of “failure to progress.” If this is the case, you may wonder if...
In the process of giving birth, new mothers are usually confident that their medical team has everything under control. However, if a newborn suffers from a lack of oxygen, brain damage can follow. What kind of problems can cause this to happen? About infant brain damage According to the American...
Many Pennsylvania women who are preparing to give birth neglect to consider the fact that they may end up doing so via a Cesarean section. However, as of 2018, almost a third of all American-born babies underwent delivery through this method, so you would be wise to do some research...
If you or your baby experiences an injury before, during or after labor and delivery, this incident constitutes a birth injury. Minor birth injuries like scratches and bruises are common, but other injuries can lead to permanent disabilities. Review the risk factors for birth injuries so you can discuss your...
Cerebral palsy is one of the most common disabilities affecting young children. It results from damage to the brain that affects a child’s ability to move and maintain posture and balance. Mistakes by your physician before, during or after birth can cause cerebral palsy in your child. Damage to the...
You have had no problems with your pregnancy so far, but your last checkup cast a few dark clouds on the horizon. Your doctor informed you that you may need a C-section to bring your baby into the world, and the news made you nervous. The American Pregnancy Association explores...
Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States, taking over 650,000 lives every year. The most common heart condition is coronary artery disease, affecting nearly 7% of people over 20 years old. Heart conditions can wreak havoc on the other systems of the body, especially in pregnant...