A woman who’s in labor and goes into the labor and delivery unit of a hospital expects that the medical team there will help her to deliver her baby safely. She never expects that she will become the victim of medical negligence during this beautiful time in her life.
For some women, being induced is necessary so their baby can be born safely. This usually involves medical interventions, such as the administration of oxytocin to start uterine contractions. This is a very powerful medication that must be handled carefully. Despite it being commonly used, there are risks that come with it.
What should a pregnant woman know about oxytocin?
The contractions that come with oxytocin can be very strong. Typically, the nurses in the labor and delivery ward adjust the medication based on the readings they get from the monitor that tracks the strength of the uterine contractions and the one that keeps track of the baby’s heart rate.
Unfortunately, there are cases in which the nurses may not monitor the mother and baby as they should. This can mean that the woman is at risk of uterine rupture from contractions that are too strong. There’s also a risk that the baby could suffer from harm. In both cases, proper monitoring could have prevented the problems.
Any woman who suffers an adverse birth event, including harm to their baby, should explore the option of a birth injury lawsuit. This must be based on negligence, which might be established based on lax or improper fetal monitoring during labor. Washington laws set firm time limits for these cases, so be sure you get the matter filed as soon as possible after your baby’s birth. That gives you the opportunity to seek compensation for the financial damages you’re dealing with because of the negligent care in the labor and delivery unit.
