When a baby suffers a brain injury like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) or is later diagnosed with cerebral palsy, families deserve clear answers. Too often, hospitals point to infection, typically chorioamnionitis, as the explanation. They may claim the infection was present in the placenta or caused a chain reaction leading to injury. But as a birth injury attorney, I’ve seen this defense used repeatedly, even when the facts don’t support it.
Your Baby Had A Normal Term Weight And Head Circumference But They Blamed Infection For The HIE Brain Injury
One critical detail often overlooked is the baby’s growth. Your baby had a normal term weight and head circumference but they blamed infection for the HIE brain injury, this should raise questions. Severe, long-standing infections that harm a baby in the womb usually cause growth restrictions or other developmental red flags. If your baby was growing appropriately, the real issue may have been mismanagement during labor, not an infection.
Did Medical Staff Miss Warning Signs During Labor?
Fetal monitoring strips can reveal whether a baby was in distress before delivery. Sometimes, the tracings look normal until late in labor, when sudden decelerations, prolonged drops in heart rate, or other danger signs appear. If medical providers failed to intervene, whether by expediting delivery or performing an emergency C-section, their delay, not an infection, could be the true cause of HIE.
Why Independent Reviews Matter
Hospitals often rely on their own pathology reports to support the infection claim. However, independent experts may find that the inflammation was mild, limited to the outer placental layers, or unrelated to the brain injury. If your baby was otherwise healthy, the hospital’s explanation may be an attempt to shift blame away from negligence.
If you’ve been told an infection caused your child’s HIE or cerebral palsy, don’t accept that answer without further investigation. The real cause may lie in preventable errors during delivery, not the placenta. If your baby had a normal term weight and head circumference but they blamed infection for the HIE brain injury, and now you have questions, you can reach me at my contact information below.
Marcus B. Boston, Esq.
9701 Apollo Dr. Suite 100
Largo, Maryland 20774
301-850-4832
1-833-4 BABY HELP
