When a baby is diagnosed with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) after birth, many parents are left wondering what went wrong. One possible cause doctors may discuss is placental insufficiency and HIE, which occurs when the placenta fails to deliver adequate oxygen and nutrients to the baby during pregnancy. This condition can lead to oxygen deprivation, which in turn may cause a brain injury like HIE.

 

But what exactly is placental insufficiency, and how can it impact your baby’s health? Placental insufficiency happens when the placenta—responsible for supplying your baby with oxygen and essential nutrients—doesn’t work as it should. This can be due to several maternal conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or placental abnormalities like placental abruption or infarctions. When oxygen levels drop, the baby’s brain is at risk, and without immediate medical intervention, serious injuries like HIE can occur.

 

Placental Insufficiency And HIE: How Defense Lawyers Use It In Legal Cases

 

In some birth injury cases, defense lawyers will argue that placental insufficiency and HIE are connected, claiming that the baby’s injury occurred well before labor due to issues with the placenta, rather than negligence during delivery. Their position is that placental insufficiency caused oxygen deprivation long before the medical team could have intervened.

 

The Importance Of Placental Pathology Reports

 

A key factor in countering this argument is the placental pathology report. After a baby is born, the placenta is often examined for any signs of insufficiency. If this examination reveals no evidence of damage or dysfunction—such as infarctions or abnormal blood vessels—this significantly weakens the defense’s position.

 

Investigating Medical Errors During Labor And Delivery

 

Without concrete signs of placental insufficiency, the argument shifts back to the care provided during labor and delivery. For example, was there a delay in performing a necessary C-section, or a failure to respond to fetal distress? In cases where medical malpractice is suspected, a thorough investigation is critical to determining whether the injury could have been prevented.

 

Proving the exact cause of an HIE brain injury can be complex, but placental pathology plays a critical role in determining whether the injury was due to placental insufficiency or potential medical malpractice. If you have concerns about your baby’s HIE diagnosis and want to explore your legal options, it’s essential to work with a birth injury lawyer who understands these medical complexities.

 

 

 

 

Marcus B. Boston, Esq.

Boston Law Group, LLC

9701 Apollo Dr. Suite 100

Largo, Maryland 20774

bostonlawllc.com

301-850-4832

1-833-4 BABY HELP

 

 

 
Marcus Boston is a Maryland medical malpractice attorney who helps people navigate the Maryland childbirth injury and medical malpractice process to get money for their injuries caused by the carelessness of doctors and hospitals. BLG handles cases in Prince George’s County, Baltimore City, Montgomery County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, all other Maryland Counties, and Washington DC. For birth injury cases outside of Maryland and Washington DC, BLG works with local counsel (a lawyer barred in that state). blgesq.com blgesq Maryland and Washington DC birth injury attorneys