One in three births in the United States involve Cesarean Sections or C-sections, where babies are surgically removed from the mother’s womb through an incision that is made in the mother’s abdomen. A woman may opt to have a C-section or a C-section may become medically essential for the safety of the mother and child.
Not doing a timely C-section may result in serious birth injuries such as cerebral palsy and Erb’s palsy or brachial plexus palsy. There are several pros to consider with a C-section. For example, with a C-section, the mother may experience a lower risk of incontinence and sexual dysfunction after the baby’s birth. C-sections also lower the risk of baby being deprived of oxygen during delivery or experiencing trauma while passing through the birth canal.
Common Medical Reasons for a C-section
Your doctor may schedule a C-section in advance of your due date or it may become necessary during labor because of an emergency situation. Here are some of the most common medical reasons for a cesarean delivery.
Prolonged labor: This scenario is also known as a “stalled labor” or “failure to progress” and is the most common reason for C-sections, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Labor is said to have stalled when the mother is in labor for 20 hours or more for new moms and 14 hours for mothers who have given birth before. There are a number of reasons for stalled labor including babies that are too large for the birth canal and carrying multiples. In these cases, doctors should consider a cesarean delivery to avoid complications, especially potential birth injuries.
Breech births: For a successful vaginal delivery, babies should be positioned headfirst near the birth canal. However, there may be times when babies are positioned feet first toward the birth canal. This is known as a breech birth. A C-section may be the safest way to deliver in these types of cases. This is particularly true for women who are carrying multiple babies.
Fetal distress: If your child is experiencing problems such as decreased or increased heart rate or if your baby is not getting sufficient oxygen, then your doctor may choose to deliver the baby via C-section. Doctors may also choose a cesarean section to deliver babies diagnosed with certain birth defects such as congenital heart diseases in order to reduce the possibility of complications at birth.
Repeat C-section: If you’ve had a C-section before, you are most likely to require a C-section for consequent births. It would be in your best interest to discuss with your physician and decide whether a vaginal or cesarean delivery is the safest and best option.
Mother’s health: If the mother has chronic health conditions such as hypertension, gestational diabetes or heart disease, a vaginal delivery might be dangerous for mother and child. Doctors will also suggest a C-section if the mother has HIV, genital herpes or other types of infections that may be transferred to the baby through a vaginal delivery.
Umbilical cord issues: When the umbilical cord prolapses or slips through the cervix before the baby comes out, blood flow to the baby may lessen, decreasing oxygen supply and putting the baby at risk. This is a serious condition that may require an emergency C-section.
Issues with the placenta: If the mother has a low-lying placenta that partially or completely covers the cervix – a condition known as “placenta previa” – a C-section might become necessary. This might also be the case when the placenta separates from the uterine lining (placental abruption). Such a condition may cause the baby to lose oxygen.
Multiple births: When a mother is carrying multiple fetuses, the risk of complications may increase dramatically. Carrying multiples may cause prolonged labor putting mother and children in distress. One or more babies may also be in an abnormal position – such as a breech position. When it comes to multiples, a C-section may be the safest route to take.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If your child has suffered a birth injury because of the medical provider’s failure to perform a timely C-section, you may be able to file a birth injury lawsuit seeking compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, loss of livelihood, hospital and rehabilitation costs, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
The experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. One of our clients secured a $43,940,000 verdict that was reduced by the appeals court because the verdict was so large. Another client secured a $2,850,000 verdict that was reduced by the appeals court to $1,846,000, again because the verdict was so large. This was the highest amount upheld by the appellate courts for many, many years. In addition we recovered $1,400,000 for a newborn who lost motion in the arm during birth due to the doctors applying incorrect force on the baby’s head.
We have seen many cases where New York City Health and Hospital Corporation hospitals deliver babies who are born with injuries stemming from negligence (carelessness) and/or medical malpractice in the labor and delivery etc. of the children. The following list identifies some of these hospitals (operated by New York City Health and Hospital Corporation):
• Jacobi Hospital aka Bronx Municipal 1400 Pelham Parkway South Bronx, New York 10461 718-918-5000
• Lincoln Hospital 234 East 149th Street Bronx, New York 10451 718-579-5000
• North Central Bronx Hospital 3424 Kossuth Avenue Bronx, New York 10467 718-519-5000
• Coney Island Hospital 2601 Ocean Parkway Brooklyn, New York 11235 718-616-3000
• Kings County Hospital 451 Clarkson Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11203 718-245-3131 BIGGEST HOSPITAL IN THE WORLD
• Woodhull Hospital 760 Broadway Brooklyn, New York 11206 718-963-8000
• Bellevue Hospital 462 First Avenue New York, New York 10016 212-562-5555
• Harlem Hospital 506 Lenox Avenue New York, New York 10037 212-939-1000
• Metropolitan Hospital 1901 First Avenue New York, New York 10029 212-423-6262
• Elmhurst Hospital 79-01 Broadway Elmhurst, New York 11373 718-334-4000
• Queens Hospital Center 82-68 164th Street Jamaica, New York 11432 718-883-3000
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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