Every parent expects their child's birth to be a moment of joy and celebration. However, when medical professionals fail to properly monitor oxygen levels during delivery, the consequences can be devastating. Birth oxygen deprivation affects thousands of infants each year, often resulting in permanent brain damage that changes families forever.
Medical teams have specific protocols to prevent and respond to oxygen deprivation during childbirth. When these standards aren't met, families may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim. The compassionate birth injury attorneys at Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group offer families throughout Texas more than 60 years combined legal expertise on how to pursue justice for their injured children.
What Causes Birth Oxygen Deprivation
Also known as perinatal asphyxia, this injury occurs when an infant's brain doesn't receive adequate oxygen before, during, or immediately after delivery. This condition can result from various complications that medical professionals should recognize and address promptly.
Umbilical Cord Complications
Umbilical cord problems represent one of the most common causes of oxygen deprivation. When the cord wraps around the baby's neck, becomes compressed, or prolapses during delivery, blood flow and oxygen supply are restricted. Medical teams are responsible for recognizing these complications and taking immediate action when they occur.
Prolonged Labor Issues
Extended delivery times stress both mother and baby, potentially reducing oxygen flow to the infant's brain. Health care providers should recognize when labor is progressing abnormally and intervene appropriately to prevent complications.
Maternal Health Complications
Conditions such as placental abruption, uterine rupture, or maternal blood pressure problems critically impact the baby's oxygen supply. These situations require immediate medical attention and often emergency delivery procedures.
Newborn Respiratory Problems
Infants who have difficulty breathing due to lung issues, airway obstructions, or other complications need immediate medical intervention to prevent brain damage even after successful delivery.
Unfortunately, in many cases, children suffer neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), or brain damage, as a result of oxygen deprivation medical negligence. For some infants, the condition might not cause any long-term consequences. But for others, they may develop severe disabilities that affect not only their brains but also other vital organs. Tragically, some children also die because of HIE.
Warning Signs That May Indicate Medical Negligence
When medical teams fail to recognize or properly respond to indications of oxygen deprivation, their inaction may constitute a breach of the standard of care expected in hospitals.
The foundation of a medical malpractice case includes the following factors:
- Existence of a doctor-patient relationship. A formal relationship must be established, creating a legal duty for the health care provider to offer competent care.
- Standard of care. The provider must adhere to the accepted medical standards expected of similarly trained professionals under similar circumstances.
- Breach of duty. The provider failed to meet the standard of care, either by action or omission, constituting negligence.
- Causal connection to harm. The breach must be directly linked to the patient's injury or worsening condition, proving that the negligence caused measurable harm.
At Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group, our Texas medical malpractice lawyers review every aspect of your case to thoroughly assess the standard of care applied to your child’s birth. Here are just a few instances where breach of duty may be proven.
Failure to Monitor Fetal Heart Rate Properly
Electronic fetal monitoring should track the baby's heart rate continuously during labor. When medical staff ignore bradycardia (slow heart rate), tachycardia (fast heart rate), or variable decelerations, they may be failing to meet accepted medical standards. Delayed responses to abnormal heart rate patterns form the basis for successful medical malpractice claims.
Ignoring Meconium-Stained Amniotic Fluid
When health care providers fail to take appropriate precautions after discovering meconium in the amniotic fluid, they may be acting negligently. This condition indicates fetal distress and requires immediate preparation for potential respiratory complications at birth.
Inadequate Response to Maternal Warning Signs
Medical teams must monitor maternal blood pressure, fever, and other vital signs that can affect oxygen delivery to the baby. Failure to adjust treatment plans based on these indicators may constitute negligent care that contributes to birth oxygen deprivation.
Delayed Recognition of Newborn Distress
Providers who fail to properly assess low Apgar scores, poor muscle tone, or breathing difficulties immediately after birth may be liable for resulting brain damage. Quick intervention is essential to prevent permanent neurological harm.
Legal Options for Babies Affected by Birth Oxygen Deprivation
When medical professionals fail to meet the accepted standard of care during your child's birth, Texas law recognizes your legal rights to secure your family’s future. The dedicated legal team at Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group understands the emotional and financial challenges your family faces. We collaborate with respected industry professionals to carefully review your case, examining every aspect of your prenatal care, delivery, and immediate post-birth treatment to determine if medical negligence contributed to your child's condition.
A successful birth injury claim can provide essential resources for your child's ongoing needs, including ongoing medical treatments, therapy services, adaptive equipment, and educational support. Beyond covering these practical expenses, compensation also acknowledges the profound impact on your family's daily life and the additional care responsibilities you've undertaken with love and dedication.