Connecticut Cholestasis of Pregnancy Lawyer

A pregnant woman having some mild pain on her stomach.

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), also known as cholestasis of pregnancy or simply cholestasis, is a pregnancy complication that can have potentially serious consequences for the child. As a result, doctors must adequately warn expecting mothers of ICP’s symptoms, and they must provide appropriate care and treatment to prevent unnecessary complications.

Individuals facing complications due to cholestasis could be entitled to compensation if their losses resulted from a doctor’s malpractice. A Connecticut cholestasis of pregnancy lawyer could help you understand your legal options after a birth injury.

Information about Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP)

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is a liver condition that typically occurs in the second and third trimesters. While ICP typically goes away for the mother a few days after delivery, it can potentially lead to long-term complications for the mother’s child.

Symptoms of Cholestasis of Pregnancy

Cholestasis of pregnancy is somewhat unique in that the symptoms for the mother tend to be fairly mild, and several of them are entirely unrelated to the effects that the mother’s condition has on the fetus. For example, some of the most common symptoms of cholestasis include:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Dark-colored urine or light-colored stool
  • Fatigue
  • Itching, predominantly on the hands and feet
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea

However, some mothers can experience more severe symptoms as well, including jaundice and depression. Seek help from the knowledgeable Connecticut obstetric intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy attorneys at Berkowitz Hanna today.

What Causes Cholestasis of Pregnancy?

Doctors do not know what causes cholestasis of pregnancy. However, what doctors do know is that with ICP, bile stored in the mother’s liver can spill into her bloodstream, and this in turn can put additional strain on the baby’s liver. It is this strain that can lead to complications for the baby.

Risks to the Child When a Mother Has ICP

Cholestasis of pregnancy increases the risk of a number of types of birth injuries, and it also increases the risk of stillbirth. Two of the primary birth injuries associated directly with ICP are: (i) hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and (ii) meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS).

In many cases, the mother’s doctor will recommend inducing labor early in order to mitigate the risk of these complications. However, preterm birth carries its own risks, and there is a chance that inducing labor and/or performing a cesarean section (C-section) could result in harm to the fetus as well.

What Can (and Should) Doctors Do to Prevent Complications from Cholestasis?

There are several steps that doctors can, and generally should take to prevent complications from cholestasis of pregnancy. For example, doctors should warn mothers that itching and loss of appetite are possible symptoms so that mothers can seek appropriate medical treatment. When a mother exhibits symptoms of cholestasis, her doctor should begin appropriate treatment immediately. If the risk to the fetus appears significant, her doctor should discuss the benefits and risks associated with early labor induction.

When a baby is born with complications from cholestasis of pregnancy (or is at risk for complications from cholestasis), the family’s doctor should promptly order necessary tests and provide appropriate treatment for the newborn as well.

Financial Compensation Is Available to Families Whose Newborns have Experienced Complications Due to ICP

Under Connecticut law, financial compensation is available to parents whose children have been diagnosed with complications from cholestasis of pregnancy as a result of medical malpractice. This includes compensation for medical expenses and other financial losses as well as compensation for pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and other forms of non-financial harm. If your child has been diagnosed with HIE, MAS, or any other serious complication of cholestasis, your family’s losses could be substantial, and filing a birth injury claim could be crucial to both your family’s financial stability and your child’s long-term recovery.

Seeking Compensation

To seek financial compensation for complications from intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, your first step is to consult with a lawyer who represents families in these types of situations. At Berkowitz Hanna, our lawyers have decades of experience helping families recover just compensation for ICP and other consequences of medical malpractice during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. So if you have a case, we can help you, and we encourage you to contact us right away.

When you contact us, you will meet with one of our experienced lawyers one-on-one. This meeting can take place at our offices, at the hospital, at your home, or over the phone. Your lawyer will answer all of your questions, and your lawyer will ask you some questions as well so that they can conduct a preliminary assessment of your legal rights. If it appears that you may have a claim and you decide to move forward, your lawyer will then begin the process of reviewing your medical records and engaging experts. They will gather information to assess both the cause and the extent of your intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. With this information in hand, your lawyer can then file a claim with your doctor’s medical malpractice insurance company to seek the compensation you deserve.

A Connecticut Cholestasis of Pregnancy Attorney Could Help

Our Connecticut obstetric cholestasis of pregnancy lawyers represent parents throughout Connecticut in claims against doctors, hospitals, birth centers, and other health care providers. We are well known for our experience in birth injury cases, and we have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients’ losses. If your child has been diagnosed with a complication of cholestasis of pregnancy, please give us a call or contact us online.