Timing a baby brain injury during birth can go a long ways to giving parents the answers they deserve. When a baby suffers any type of injury during birth, parents generally have many questions. In my experience, the trauma on the mother can also be devastating, with mom sometimes blaming herself, even though she did nothing wrong. The family trusted the medical professionals and the hospital.
The purpose of this Maryland birth injury educational article is to give you a better understanding on how experts try to time a baby brain injury during birth. Will it always be 100% possible to time this type of injury? No. However, experts can in certain instances put the pieces of the puzzle together.
THE FETAL HEART MONITOR…
When a mother checks into the hospital to give birth, doctors and nurses will use a device called the fetal heart monitor (this device is used by many hospitals around the county) to assist with the delivery. One of the main purposes of the monitor is to ascertain whether the baby is tolerating a vaginal delivery.
The fetal heart monitor can inform the medical professionals whether the baby’s heart rate, for example is too low for a considerable amount of time (bradycardia) or too high (tachycardia) for a considerable amount of time. In addition, the monitor can reveal heart rate variability and deceleration patterns. When the readings look “normal” they are referred to as “reassuring” and when the readings begin to move away from a normal reading they are categorized as “non-reassuring.”
TIMING A BABY BRAIN INJURY DURING BIRTH
To be successful in a Maryland birth injury case, you will have to have a medical expert(s) give a medical opinion in the case. These experts will be looking to see whether the treating medical professionals fell below the standard owed to you and your baby at the time, causing the injury.
In some instances in a birth injury case the fetal heart monitor will reflect that the child was tolerating the vaginal delivery well. In other words, no problems are reflected on the strip. However, there are times where the strips will reveal a “non-reassuring” pattern, with the strips getting progressively worse. Medical experts can then use this information to try and time the point as to where the injury could have occurred.
WHAT IS YOUR BABY’S STORY?
Timing a baby brain injury during birth can be a difficult task. However, with the help of medical experts it can sometimes be done.
To speak me further about your child’s injury following birth, this is what I advise you to do.
Pick up the phone and give me a call.
I can be reached at 301-850-4832.
I answer Maryland medical malpractice questions like yours all the time and I would be happy to listen to your story.
Boston Law Group, LLC
2 Wisconsin Circle
Suite 700
Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815