Expecting a child ought to be a joyful time in a woman’s life. While the majority of pregnancies tend to follow a predictable and complication-free course, the number of pregnancy-related complications appears to be rising. This makes the care that women here in Oregon and elsewhere receive from conception to birth more vital than ever before.
Part of the issue is that more women with preexisting conditions are becoming pregnant, which means their risk of complications during pregnancy is higher. In turn, this means their risk of childbirth complications doubles. Research indicates that the number of women suffering from pregnancy and birth complications rose approximately 31.5% from 2014 to 2018.
The numbers appear to be driven up because more women are suffering from Type II diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure prior to pregnancy. The management of these conditions is vital in order to help control the potential for complications. In addition, it appears that more women are suffering from mental and/or behavioral conditions — such as anxiety, substance abuse or major depression — that contribute to complications as well. Moreover, during these uncertain times, women suffering from these conditions may not receive the prenatal care they need due to not having adequate access to medical care.
Pregnancy-related complications not only affect the mother, but the unborn child as well. Without the proper care, both lives may be in jeopardy. When doctors fail to appropriately monitor women with preexisting conditions, the situation could become a disaster waiting to happen. If an Oregon woman or her unborn child suffers harm due to not receiving the standard of care to which they are entitled, a medical malpractice claim may be the appropriate course of action.