Prolonged Labor Complication Attorney

Prolonged labor is related to numerous birth injuries because doctors must make difficult decisions when complications threaten the well-being of the child during delivery. If a mother has been in labor for more than eighteen hours, doctors may choose to administer drugs to assist with contractions, implement the use of forceps or vacuum devices, or elect to perform an emergency cesarean section to minimize the risk of injury to both mother and child.

While most injuries sustained during birth are minor and self-resolving, improper use of medical equipment, the failure to properly identify fetal distress and poor post birth monitoring may all cause or contribute to more serious injuries that impact the child's quality of life or can even result in permanent injury to the mother.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers for Your Birth Injury Lawsuit

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC a law firm representing the victims and families of those who have been injured due to medical malpractice or medical negligence. Your obstetrician or any other medical professional must act according to a standard of care when they treat patients. If not, the healthcare provider may face a lawsuit.

Give us a phone call or fill out a contact form today to schedule your free initial consultation. We can help you when it comes to filing a medical malpractice case.

Common Causes of Prolonged Labor

Here are some of the reasons why women may have prolonged labor. The medical team should know the risk factors for this type of injury. Medical staff should be aware of which women may be possibilities for extended active labor.

• Cephalopelvic disproportion
• Uterine Rupture
• Induction of labor
• Cervical dilation may be delayed

In any event, there is only so long that a woman can remain in the active phase of labor without damage to the child's health.

Risks Associated with Prolonged Labor

Prolonged labor contributes to the majority of injuries sustained during delivery and is often evidence of a more serious complication that is preventing delivery of the child. In the United States, about 8% of mothers experience prolonged labor during child birth. When a woman does not have normal labor, it is a risk to the health of the mother and the unborn child.

The child's head may be too large to fit through the birth canal or the child may be in breech or an awkward position which makes it difficult to pass through the canal. The strength and frequency of uterine contractions may be common causes of prolonged labor. Regardless of the reason for the difficult labor, the child is often at risk— following are some common complications associated with prolonged labor.

• Asphyxia which is defined as a lack of oxygen to the brain that is caused by some form of blockage such as a nuchal cord or damage to the placenta, which supplies the child with oxygen.
• Low fetal heart rate.
• Low maternal blood pressure.
• Compression of the umbilical cord.
• Premature detachment of the placenta from the uterine wall.

Medical Malpractice During the Delivery of Your Child

Complications caused by prolonged labor may require a doctor to order the use of forceps, a vacuum assisted delivery or an emergency cesarean section, depending on the circumstances and the complications. An emergency C-section can protect the health of the mother and child.

Improper use of extraction devices such as forceps and vacuum extractors are the primary cause of severe birth injuries but the failure of staff to monitor and test the child after birth in order to prevent long term complications also constitutes medical malpractice. It has been proven that the majority of injuries that result in long term conditions such as brain injury can be prevented with proper testing and monitoring and there is no reason a newborn child should suffer injuries that impact the rest of his or her life.

Here are some injuries that the baby can suffer during prolonged labor:

• Brachial Plexus Injury
• Facial Paralysis
• Brain Damage
• Cerebral Palsy

All of these can result in permanent injuries that cause years of pain and suffering and high medical bills.

Filing a Medical Malpractice Claim for Prolonged Labor Injuries

If your child was injured during birth and you believe that negligence of the hospital staff or the medical provider may have caused or contributed to the injuries, contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC to speak with a birth injury lawyer.

Our consultations are free of charge and we will thoroughly examine the details of your case, give you legal advice, explore your legal options with you and answer any questions you may have about the legal process. Our offices are located throughout the greater Chicago area and we are able to serve clients throughout the entire state of Illinois.