You rely on your obstetrician to determine if your baby is in distress during pregnancy. For decades, this has been done through the use of an electronic fetal monitor. Unfortunately, even when an electronic fetal monitor shows an abnormality, not all physicians respond appropriately and with the urgency that the situation may warrant.
At Marzella and Associates, your baby’s safety and well-being come first. Our legal team has experience in collecting evidence to establish a physician’s negligence. If your baby was born with health complications, the data from an electronic fetal monitor strip may be key in providing evidence for your medical malpractice claim.
What is Electronic Fetal Monitoring?
Electronic fetal monitoring, or EFM, is a test that performs continuous monitoring of a baby’s heart rate and the mother’s contractions during labor. EFM is used to determine if the baby is receiving enough oxygen during delivery, which is a time in which the oxygen supply may decrease.
EFM is used extensively during labor and delivery, although many providers believe that it is unnecessary in low-risk pregnancies. EFM is recommended in the following situations:
- If the mother has preeclampsia, diabetes, or bleeding during pregnancy
- If the mother has had previous cesarean sections
- If meconium is present in amniotic fluid (the baby has released stool prior to delivery)
- Small fetal size or any congenital abnormalities
Information Contained in EFM Strips
Both obstetricians and labor and delivery nurses are trained to read EFM strips. It is up to medical professionals to closely watch fetal monitor strips. EFM can provide much-needed information regarding the following:
Frequency and Intensity of Contractions
An EFM monitors the frequency and the intensity level of contractions. If contractions are happening more frequently and are severe, this may be an indication that the baby is in distress.
Fetal Heart Monitoring
A baby’s heart rate is considered to be in a normal range between 110 to 160 beats per minute. An OB/GYN or labor and delivery nurse will get a “baseline” reading of your baby’s heart rate when you are first hooked up to the EFM. While slight variations of 5-25 beats per minute are considered normal, any major fluctuations are typically a cause for concern.
Accelerations and Decelerations
An acceleration occurs if the fetus’s heart rate increases by 15 beats per minute for 15 seconds or longer. In contrast, a deceleration occurs when the baby’s heart rate dips below a certain level. There are different types of decelerations, but usually, the most concerning occurs when a baby’s heart rate decreases by 15 beats per minute for at least two minutes but not more than 10 minutes (known as prolonged deceleration). Medical professionals will monitor when these heart rate fluctuations are occurring and how long they last.
Liability of Medical Staff
If there are any signs of fetal distress, it is important that medical staff take appropriate action. No matter the specifics, if there is evidence that your baby was in distress and a medical professional did not take appropriate action, you can take legal recourse.
Speak with an Experienced Harrisburg Electronic Fetal Monitoring Attorney
While childbirth should be a time of immense joy, if a physician makes a mistake, it can result in tragic consequences. If you believe that a medical practitioner did not appropriately monitor your baby’s vitals during delivery, you may be able to recover compensation. To learn how our legal team can help, contact us online or by phone.