Oregon Medical Malpractice Law Blog

How harmful is umbilical cord compression?

On behalf of Law Office of Robert A. Miller posted in Pregnancy-Related Injuries on Sunday, December 2, 2018.

During your pregnancy, the umbilical cord is a literal lifeline between you and your unborn baby, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the baby. When the cord is compromised for longer than a few moments, your baby’s health and safety may be at risk. However, mild umbilical cord compression can be a normal part of most pregnancies. You and other Oregon mothers-to-be may want to educate yourselves on when cord compression is not a cause for concern, and when it can become a complication.

The American Pregnancy Association states that mild umbilical cord compression occurs in about one in 10 deliveries in the United States, and it may happen at some points during pregnancy, as well. While your baby moves around in utero, especially in the last trimester, the cord might be temporarily compressed in the tight space. This can also happen during labor contractions, and is a reason monitors are used to keep track of the baby’s heart rate. Usually, cord compression lasts no more than a few seconds and doesn’t cause harm to the unborn child.

Research finds new diseases linked to Agent Orange exposure

On behalf of Law Office of Robert A. Miller on Tuesday, November 27, 2018.

The list of presumptive diseases linked to Agent Orange exposure may soon contain additions if researchers have their way.

Department of Veterans Affairs benefits for Vietnam veterans are the focus of adding diseases such as hypertension to the list.

Maternal deaths a problem in the U.S.

On behalf of Law Office of Robert A. Miller posted in Pregnancy-Related Injuries on Saturday, November 10, 2018.

Pregnant women in Oregon and their family members should be able to focus on the joy and excitement of the new life that is on its way into the world. However, the reality remains that pregnancy and childbirth are medical conditions and events and during these things, problems can arise. Unfortunately, it seems that the number of these problems happening across the United States that put mothers at risk of dying is growing.

According to NPR, the number of women who have died during or after giving birth to their babies in the U.S. has increased in the last 18 years. Furthermore, among all developing nations, no country has a rate of maternal deaths higher than America. These facts are and should be horrifying to expectant parents.

Risks and hazards associated with forceps deliveries

On behalf of Law Office of Robert A. Miller posted in Birth Injuries on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

When you get ready to give birth in an Oregon hospital, your ultimate goal is probably to leave the facility with a healthy, injury-free baby, but the birthing process is not always a smooth one. For some parents and their children, in fact, it can prove downright harrowing. Forceps deliveries, for example, which physicians sometimes deem necessary when the birthing process is not proceeding as anticipated, have the potential to cause injuries to mother and child, and in some cases, those injuries can prove quite serious. At the Law Office of Robert A. Miller, we recognize that forceps deliveries involve certain risks, and we have helped many people who experienced hardship in the wake of a forceps delivery pursue appropriate recourse.

According to the Mayo Clinic, your doctor may recommend a forceps delivery during the birth process if you have certain health conditions, such as heart issues or high blood pressure, that make normal pushing highly dangerous. He or she may also recommend this type of delivery if your labor fails to progress as it should, or if your baby appears to be in distress during the traditional birthing process.

Does your breast cancer diagnosis require a second opinion?

On behalf of Law Office of Robert A. Miller on Monday, October 29, 2018.

You may have had your yearly mammogram, expecting everything to be fine. Then you get a call to come back in for further tests.

This could either be because of a false-positive result or something of greater concern to the radiologist. You are open to further testing, and you only hope that the ultimate diagnosis, whatever it is, will be correct.

Understanding birth injury medical malpractice claims

On behalf of Law Office of Robert A. Miller posted in Birth Injuries on Monday, October 22, 2018.

At the Law Office of Robert A. Miller in Oregon, we know how devastating a birth injury can be, not only for the new baby himself or herself, but also for the parents. If your child suffered a birth injury during delivery, what you may not know is that you have the right to sue the physician whose negligence caused the birth injury. In addition, you also have the right to sue the hospital who employed him or her.

As FindLaw explains, Oregon law mandates that you file your medical malpractice suit within two years of the date on which the birth injury occurred.

How are pregnant mothers prepared for a C-section?

On behalf of Law Office of Robert A. Miller posted in Pregnancy-Related Injuries on Thursday, October 4, 2018.

Doctors may have a number of grounds to advise expectant Oregon mothers to have a cesarean section to deliver their baby. According to Healthline, mothers could need a C-section because of complications with the pregnancy, or if the baby is not positioned properly to exit the birth canal, among many other reasons. If you have been told a cesarean section is in the best interests of your baby, your doctor should undertake a number of preparations before your undergo the procedure.

Prior to your cesarean section, your doctor should conduct preliminary steps to inform you of what you can expect. Additionally, your physican should also gather information to prepare for possible complications during the C-section. These steps consist of the following:

Who is to blame for the high maternal death rate?

On behalf of Law Office of Robert A. Miller posted in Pregnancy-Related Injuries on Thursday, September 27, 2018.

If you are a pregnant Oregon female, it undoubtedly will shock you to learn that the United States has one of the highest maternal death rates in the developed world. Now a new investigation and report by USA Today reveals that most states, including Oregon, do not even scrutinize maternal deaths, or if they do, fail to include data relating to the medical care pregnant women receive.

While most states have a state review panel, virtually all of these panels focus on infant mortality rather than maternal mortality. They therefore choose to focus on issues relating to the mother’s lifestyle, such as her smoking, eating and seatbelt habits, plus her adherence to a regular schedule of prenatal visits to an OB/GYN or other physician. What they fail to address, however, is what type of care, or lack thereof, a deceased woman actually received during her pregnancy.

What happens if doctors do not perform a C-section in time?

On behalf of Law Office of Robert A. Miller on Wednesday, September 26, 2018.

Expectant mothers have so many things to be concerned about. The birth process involves countless risks to the mother and her newborn, but she should not have to worry about these risks. Doctors and nurses are trained to care for the mother and her baby so that tragedies such as birth injuries and wrongful deaths do not occur.

Unfortunately, unexpected issues often arise during labor, and doctors and nurses must respond to these issues quickly to avoid preventable injuries and death. One such instance is when an issue during labor requires an emergency C-section. Speed is of the essence in this situation, and lack of performing a C-section in time can have dire consequences.

Why is prenatal care so important?

On behalf of Law Office of Robert A. Miller posted in Pregnancy-Related Injuries on Friday, September 7, 2018.

As an Oregon expectant mom, your health and that of your growing baby should be your primary concern. To ensure that both of you stay as healthy as possible, you need to see your OB/GYN as early as possible in your pregnancy and continue to visit him or her frequently while you are pregnant. The Office of Women’s Health points out that if you fail to get this vital prenatal care, your baby is three times more likely to have a low birth weight. More alarming still, (s)he has a five times higher risk of dying.

In terms of precisely how often you should see your doctor while pregnant, (s)he likely will give you an appointment schedule during your first visit. In general, experts recommend the following schedule:

Once a month between week four and week 28 of your pregnancy
Twice a month between week 28 and week 36
Once a week between week 36 and the date of your baby’s delivery