When a woman in Oregon or another state is having a baby, she undoubtedly relies heavily on her medical team to help her and her child stay safe throughout pregnancy, labor and delivery. No obstetrician (OB) can 100% guarantee safety because there is always an inherent risk to both mother and infant during the prenatal, childbirth and post-natal process. Sadly, however, medical negligence can also occur, which often results in severe injuries, such as obstetric fistulas to women, as well as numerous types of birth injuries that can affect an infant.
Obstetric fistulas can result in maternal fatality
An obstetric fistula is essentially a hole in the birth canal. The forming of such a hole is an irregular occurrence, which is often located near a pregnant woman’s bladder or rectum. When obstetric fistulas fester without surgical repair, they often lead to a chronic leakage of urine or feces; in fact, in severe cases, feces may seep through a woman’s vagina.
Failure to perform a C-section in an obstructed labor can cause this injury
The average OB knows how to monitor maternal and fetal health during child labor. If a woman’s labor is obstructed, meaning it is not progressing after an extended period of time, the soft tissues between her pelvis and her infant’s head can become compressed. After a while, the tissues can become so deteriorated that a hole forms.
Maternal death rates are high in the United States and globally
Even in a modern world, with the most advanced technology available to OBs and medical teams in Oregon and throughout the United States, there has been a more than 26% increase in maternal deaths in recent years. Globally, a quarter of a million women die during pregnancy and childbirth each year. Women who survives birth injuries in Oregon or wish to act on behalf of a child who has suffered a birth injury due to medical negligence may seek restitution in a civil court to request financial recovery for their losses.