A typical pregnancy should last somewhere between 37 and 42 weeks from the moment of conception to the moment labor begins. If a woman does not naturally go into labor within this window, her obstetricians and other doctors assisting with her pregnancy may need to take action in order to induce labor and ensure the safety of both mother and child.
As experienced birth injury attorneys unfortunately know, though, not every physician is as diligent about meeting this basic “standard of care” as they should be. When a provider acts negligently, it can lead to serious and even life-altering injuries to a mother or her newborn baby.
If your family has been impacted by a doctor’s failure to properly manage a prolonged pregnancy, you may have grounds for a birth injury suit. A Connecticut postterm pregnancy injury lawyer from Berkowitz Hanna can help.
Much like premature labor, medical professionals cannot always predict when an expecting mother will experience postterm pregnancy. That said, there are several risk factors that are correlated with an increased risk of a delay in the start of labor, including:
Medical professionals are expected to know what conditions may make a postterm pregnancy more likely. Providers should also know what actions they should take to protect the health of the mother and child when gestation goes on longer than normal. While postterm pregnancy is not always dangerous if properly managed, it can lead to the fetus experiencing nutrient deficiency due to placental deterioration. Prolonged pregnancy can also cause problems during childbirth due to the increased size of the fetus. A postterm pregnancy that is improperly managed can lead to serious injuries and complications for Connecticut mothers and their newborns.
One important thing to understand about postterm pregnancy injuries and about medical malpractice litigation is that not every mistake a doctor makes necessarily justifies a lawsuit. To file suit over a postterm pregnancy injury in Connecticut, the mother—or family members taking action on her behalf—must establish that her injury stemmed directly from a doctor’s failure to act in the way any other equally qualified physician would have acted under the same circumstances.
This is known as a “breach” in the “standard of care,” and it can be something as obvious as a failure to order labor induction or a C-section, or something as seemingly minor as a miscommunication between staff members leading to a sign of fetal distress not being recognized. At the same time, though, courts will not just take an injured person’s word for it that a doctor harmed them through legally actionable negligence. Help from a seasoned lawyer can be vital to navigating around the various legal and procedural obstacles that may otherwise prevent fair financial recovery.
Going through a postterm pregnancy can be a frightening experience for a mother and her entire family, especially if her doctors do not use their skills and expertise to make sure that mother and her child are safe from preventable harm. You may have limited time and a long road ahead of you if you want to demand civil compensation for the losses you have unfairly sustained.
Fortunately, you have support available from a compassionate Connecticut postterm pregnancy injury lawyer who knows exactly how to handle sensitive, high-stakes cases like yours. Learn more by calling Berkowitz Hanna today.
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