New York Fetal Distress

Fetal distress occurs when the baby is not receiving enough oxygen during pregnancy, labor or delivery. Lack of oxygen can lead to a variety of serious complications. While in some cases fetal distress is unforeseeable, oftentimes there are risk factors that should alert the doctor of the possibility of a problem with oxygenation. Thus, it is up to the doctor to make sure that the baby is properly monitored, and to immediately respond should signs of distress develop. Poor oxygenation can lead to brain damage and a variety of serious medical issues for the baby. If your baby has brain damage that you believe was caused because your doctor failed to respond appropriately to signs of fetal distress, immediately contact an experienced New York fetal distress lawyer who will examine your medical records and explain your legal options.

Risk factors for fetal distress

There are numerous factors that can put a baby at risk for fetal distress. Some common risk factors include:

• Maternal anemia
• Prolonged labor
• Sepsis or infection
• Gestational diabetes
• Post-term pregnancy
• Placenta previa
• Uterine infection or rupture
• Abnormal position and presentation of the fetus
• Multiple births
• Overly large fetus
• Shoulder dystocia
• Umbilical cord problems

If any of these risk factors present, the doctor should closely monitor the baby for any signs of distress. Failure to do so may amount to medical negligence, and should be discussed with a New York fetal distress attorney if your baby suffered a serious birth injury as a result of fetal distress.

Symptoms of fetal distress

Common symptoms of fetal distress include:

• Fluctuations in fetal heartbeat. If a baby is in distress, his or her heartbeat is likely to fluctuation from being usually fast to being unusually slow.
• Vaginal bleeding. Bleeding during pregnancy can be a sign of a problem with the baby, such as a problem with the placenta. A sign of placental abruption or placenta previa is bleeding. Both conditions can lead to a disruption in the oxygen supply to the baby.
• Lack of fetal movement. Lack of fetal movement can be a sign that the baby is in distress.
• Lack of fetal growth. If your baby is not growing a normal rate, your baby could be distress or there could be other serious issues related to your pregnancy.

There are fetal monitoring devices that doctors can use to detect fetal distress. An electronic fetal monitor keeps track of the baby’s heartbeat. For high-risk pregnancies, during labor an electronic fetal monitor can be used to continuously monitor the baby’s heartbeat. For women who are not high-risk, electronic fetal monitoring can be performed intermittently.

The doctor should have the skill and experience to understand the risk factors for fetal distress and take the appropriate steps to monitor the baby and respond to problems.

Pursuing compensation

If a baby is deprived of oxygen even for a short period of time, brain damage can happen. The extent of the brain damage will depend on the length of time of the oxygen deprivation. If the oxygen deprivation could have been avoided with appropriate monitoring, then you should discuss your case with a fetal distress attorney in New York in order to determine if negligence was involved.

Contact the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates

If your baby suffered a severe injury such as brain damage due to fetal distress, and you believe that it was caused by the negligence of your obstetrician, it is important that you have experienced representation. Doctors and hospitals accused of negligence will be hesitant to admit fault due to the financial consequences of doing so. If they do offer a settlement, there is a good chance that the offer will not be favorable to you. This is why it is critical that you are represented by a skilled fetal distress attorney serving New York. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is experienced in successfully representing clients who have suffered injuries due to mistakes made by medical professionals. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.

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