The importance of prenatal care in birth injury cases

Receiving appropriate prenatal care throughout your pregnancy is essential for your health and the health of your baby. If your OB-GYN fails to provide this routine care, they have demonstrated gross medical negligence, and they may be responsible for an injury during birth.

During pregnancy, you should expect to see your OB-GYN at least once a month and even more frequently as you reach the end of your pregnancy. These visits provide continual monitoring to identify potential medical concerns and allow for early intervention and treatment if necessary. Prenatal appointments will also help your doctor address potential complications to help keep you and your baby stay safe during birth.

If your doctor fails to provide adequate prenatal checkups and testing to monitor you and your baby, they may miss crucial health information. This negligent behavior may cause you to experience unnecessary risks during pregnancy and could lead to serious birth injuries.

Types of Prenatal Care

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), prenatal care is one of the best ways to promote safe pregnancy and healthy birth. Women may choose to opt-out of certain prenatal treatments. However, an OB-GYN should offer and be able to safely perform the following types of care:

• Blood tests for Rh factor, anemia, infections, and viruses
• Screenings for birth defects and congenital disorders
• Gestational diabetes testing
• Amniocentesis
• Ultrasound examinations
• Monitoring your baby’s heart rate, blood pressure, and growth
• Identifying and addressing preeclampsia
• Biophysical profile

In some cases, you may not need all of these prenatal tests and screenings. They can, however, offer more information about your baby’s health. You should be able to rely on your OB-GYN to identify risk factors during your pregnancy. From there, they can order all the necessary testing to help ensure a safe birth. If your doctor fails to provide proper care, they put you and your baby at risk of serious or even life-threatening harm.

Birth Injuries Caused by Lack of Proper Prenatal Care

Giving birth always comes with a certain level of risk. However, with modern medicine, your OB-GYN should be able to identify potential complications and determine a solution for the safest birth possible. If your doctor does not perform prenatal care to make these decisions, they increase the likelihood that your child may experience a serious birth injury. Medical negligence may lead to a wide variety of birth injuries, including:

• Cerebral palsy
• Facial paralysis
• Brain damage due to oxygen deprivation
• Fractures
• Damage of nerves in the arms or hands
• Swelling, bruising or bleeding in the head

Any of these injuries could cause your child to experience life-long physical or cognitive disorders. In most cases, these birth injuries are preventable if you receive adequate prenatal care. If your doctor was negligent, you have the right to demand answers and fair compensation. 

Contact a New York Birth Injuries Attorney

The New York birth injuries attorneys at Finz & Finz P.C. are prepared to fight for you and negotiate for the settlement you deserve. Contact Finz & Finz P.C. at 855-TOP-FIRM right now to set up a free consultation on your case and discuss your legal options.