Increase in Childbirth Complications Raises Concerns

January 09, 2013 (Press-News.org) Annually, there are more than four million births in the United States. And while many of these deliveries are problem free, that is not always the case as roughly 52,000 women are impacted by severe childbirth complications each year, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Even more concerning is that a recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discovered a drastic 75 percent increase in delivery emergencies in the decade ending in 2009 - emergencies such as heart attacks, stroke, respiratory problems and kidney failure. Also during the same period, the rate of women who developed severe complications in the days directly after giving birth more than doubled.

Several explanations have been posited for the recent increase. For instance, Dr. William M. Callaghan - who led the study at the CDC - told Reuters that it is "well-documented" that more women are giving birth at older ages, suffer from obesity or have health conditions such as diabetes. Callaghan added that "[t]he characteristics of the pregnant population are changing," thus, it is not completely surprising that the chances of certain complications may also rise.

But, even women who do not experience these particular conditions are at risk during childbirth as heart problems and severe bleeding are some of most common causes of death during and following childbirth. For example, the Wall Street Journal reports that the roughly 60 percent increase in Caesarean-section births since 1996 has mirrored the dramatic increase of placenta accrea - which is a condition that can result in severe hemorrhaging after childbirth.

Childbirth complications impacting the child

The CDC is currently funding several programs aimed at improving childbirth safety and establishing procedures to avoid injuries, however, it is important to note that childbirth injuries do not solely impact mothers, but also the children being born. But while most childbirth injuries suffered by mothers are generally discovered during or shortly after delivery, many injuries sustained by the children themselves may not be diagnosed for several years.

For instance, hypoxic brain injury is a common childbirth injury suffered by newborns that are deprived of oxygen during childbirth - possibly due to the negligence of doctors or hospital staff. Tragically, many parents may not even realize that anything went wrong during childbirth until learning disabilities come to light when the child goes to school for the first time several years later.

If the negligence of a doctor or hospital staff led to the hypoxic brain injury of your child during childbirth, they need to be held responsible for their negligent actions. Consequently, if your child suffered a birth injury it is important to speak with an experienced birth injury attorney to be advised of your rights and options.

Article provided by Marrone Law Firm
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