Thanks to advances of medicine over the last 100 years, some of the risks associated with labor and delivery have been significantly reduced. Unfortunately, the risks have not been completely eliminated. While nature often has a role to play in death or injury at birth, the care a woman and child receive during the birth process can also have a significant impact on the outcome of a delivery. In a recent medical malpractice lawsuit, one woman claims that the inadequate care she received in a North Carolina medical facility ultimately lead to the death of her baby.
According to the lawsuit, the woman had complications due to gestational diabetes. She also experienced complications with a previous delivery. Her labor was induced on Nov. 15, 2011, with drugs. She claims there were several indicators throughout the day that the baby was in distress, but care providers failed to act.
Although labor was induced early that morning, the baby was not delivered until the evening. The baby had no heartbeat, was not breathing, did not respond and was pronounced dead soon afterwards. The lawsuit claims that the death could have been prevented had medical care staff conducted a cesarean section. The mother further claims the baby was not adequately monitored throughout labor which resulted in the baby’s death. She is seeking over $10,000 in damages and claims severe emotional distress.
It is difficult to fathom the devastation of going to the hospital to have a baby but leaving alone. Knowing that a death such as this could have been prevented would be even more devastating for a parent. However, by filing a medical malpractice suit, the North Carolina woman is bringing attention to the issue which could hopefully help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Source: The-Dispatch, Mother files medical malpractice suit against LMC in death of baby, Darrick Ignasiak, Nov. 15, 2013