Top 4 Prenatal Medical Errors in Florida: What New and Expecting Parents Need to Know
Every year, approximately 4 million women give birth in the US, the vast majority of whom experience no difficulties or medical issues for themselves or their babies. However, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 50,000 women suffer serious injuries or medical complications as a result of prenatal issues. That number equates to more than 135 expectant and new mothers per day. Many of these victims are left in pain, traumatized, unable to have more children, or in financial hardship.
Unfortunately, a high number of these women suffer because of medical mistakes in prenatal care that could have been prevented. Though every case is different, you should discuss your situation with a Florida medical malpractice attorney if you suffered harm due to any of these top medical mistakes involved with prenatal care.
- Failure to Diagnose a Common Prenatal Medical Condition: There are many routine prenatal tests and medical conditions your physician should address early on in your pregnancy. Especially with women who are considered to be high risk, doctors need to test for such issues as:
- Gestational Diabetes
- Elevated bilirubin count, which can indicate liver trouble
- Preeclampsia, which involves high blood pressure in pregnant women
- Anemia
Prenatal testing for these and other conditions is a critical aspect of prenatal care. Early detection enables your physician to provide proper care throughout the remainder of your pregnancy, ensuring you and your baby are healthy.
- Misdiagnosis of a Contagious Disease: With certain ailments, it’s possible for the mother to pass a contagion on to the baby, leading to complications for both. The two most serious contagious diseases that threaten the fetus are genital herpes and neonatal lupus. These are easy to diagnose and, when detected early, providers can prevent the infant from acquiring the mother’s disease.
- Errors in Detecting Birth Defects: Other important prenatal tests are intended to identify whether the fetus suffers from any birth defect. Though some medical conditions cannot be avoided, others can be treated during pregnancy to ensure the health of the child when born. Physicians should commonly be testing for such birth defects as:
- Down Syndrome
- Tay-Sachs Disease, a rare disorder that attacks brain cells
- Hemophilia, which is the inability of the blood to form clots
- Cystic Fibrosis, a condition that affects the lungs
- Sickle Cell Anemia, which may require blood transfusion
- Many others
- Failure to Diagnose an Ectopic Pregnancy: This condition occurs early in pregnancy, when the fertilized egg remains in the fallopian tube and is not viable. However, the ectopic pregnancy may still grow, leading to internal organ damage. If not detected and removed, the woman may experience excessive bleeding, which requires surgery and can lead to death.
Discuss Your Rights with a Florida Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If you believe any of these mistakes with prenatal care was a factor in causing harm to you or your baby, please contact Freidin Brown, P.A. You may have a claim for medical malpractice, and our Florida medical malpractice attorneys can provide more information after reviewing your circumstances. We’re happy to set up a free consultation at our offices in Miami or Fort Myers, FL.
