New York Post Term Pregnancy

A pregnancy is considered to be term at 37-42 weeks gestation. Typically pregnant women go into labor naturally during that period. If a baby is delivered prior to 37 weeks, it is considered preterm, while if the pregnancy extends to 42 weeks or beyond, it is considered post term. Post term pregnancy can be dangerous for both the mother and the baby. Thus, if labor does not begin naturally after 41-42 weeks, the doctor may decide to induce labor in order to minimize the possibility that the baby will suffer a birth injury related to post-term pregnancy. If your or your child was seriously hurt because your doctor failed to properly manage your post-term pregnancy, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced New York post term pregnancy lawyer as you may be entitled to compensation from the negligent doctor.

If the following conditions are present, it is more likely that the labor will go post term.

• Maternal obesity
• Anencephaly, which is as malformation of the baby’s skull
• Prior post-term pregnancy
• Abnormalities in the mother’s central nervous system
• Mothers who were themselves post term
• Placental insufficiency

If a pregnancy is post term, it is up to the doctor to determine the best treatment in order to minimize the risk of injury to the mother or the baby. One option is to induce labor using medication that will make contractions begin. However, there are also risks associated with labor induction that the doctor must consider. If you feel that your doctor did not properly monitor you and manage your pregnancy based on your post term pregnancy risk factors, discuss your case with a New York post term pregnancy attorney.

Post term pregnancy presents risk for both the baby and the mother. Risks for the baby include:

• Fetal macrosomia. Fetal macrosomia is defined as a baby who weighs 8 pounds or more at birth. Large babies are at risk of childhood diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.
• Placental insufficiency. Placental insufficiency is defined as the placenta failing to provide the baby with sufficient oxygen. The risk for this complication increases after 37 weeks gestation as the placenta typically stops growing at 37 weeks. Once the placental reaches its maximum size it begins to cease to function as well. As a result, the baby may not receive as much oxygen and nutrients as necessary. This can lead to brain damage.
• Meconium aspiration syndrome. Meconium aspiration syndrome is defined as the baby defecating before birth and then inhaling the fecal matter. This can lead to oxygen deprivation and infection, which in turn can lead to brain damage.

Risks to the mother include uterine rupture, excessive bleeding, infection, and perineum injury.

The complications that often accompany post term pregnancy can be avoided with proper care and monitoring by the doctor. On the other hand, as a post term pregnancy attorney in New York will explain in detail, if the doctor fails to give the mother and baby proper care, and as a result the baby suffers a serious injury due to meconium aspiration, placental insufficiency, or fetal macrosomia, the doctor may be liable for malpractice.

If you or your baby sustained a serious injury due to complications associated with post term pregnancy, and you believe that your doctor was at fault, do not hesitate to immediately contact an experienced post term pregnancy attorney serving New York. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates has years of experience winning substantial settlements for victims injured due to mistakes made by medical professionals. Contact us a shoulder dystocia attorney at our New York office 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.