Fetal Distress Lawsuits: What is fetal distress? Do you need a lawyer for an obstetric emergency case?
Fetal distress is an uncommon complication of labor. Before or during childbirth, fetal distress alerts the obstetric team that the fetus is not well or is becoming excessively fatigued. Fetal distress typically occurs when the fetus has not been receiving enough oxygen.
The most sensitive indicator of fetal distress is an abnormal heart rate pattern in the fetus. Throughout labor, the fetus's heart rate is monitored with a fetal stethoscope-every 15 minutes during early labor and after each contraction during late labor. Or the fetus's heart rate is monitored continuously with electronic fetal heart monitoring.
If a significant abnormality in the heart rate is detected, it can usually be corrected by giving the woman oxygen, increasing the amount of fluids given intravenously to the mother, and turning her on her left side. If these measures are not effective, the baby is delivered as quickly as possible by forceps, a vacuum extractor, or cesarean section.
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If the amniotic fluid appears green after the membranes have ruptured, the fetus may be in distress. This discoloration is caused by the fetus's first stool (fetal meconium). Fetal distress may be associated with post maturity (when the placenta malfunctions in a post term pregnancy) or with complications of pregnancy or labor that affect the woman and therefore also affect the fetus. Read more about Meconium Aspiration Syndrome.
Intrapartum Fetal Heart Rate (IFHR or FHR) Monitoring detects signs that warn of potential adverse fetal events in enough time to hopefully permit intervention for obstetrical trauma. Intrapartum fetal heart rate (IFHR) monitoring tries to identify fetal distress in its early stages.
For a diagnosis of fetal distress to be made, one or more of the following must be present:
- Persistent severe variable deceleration
- Persistent and non-remediable late decelerations
- Persistent severe bradycardia (slower than normal heart rate)
The following actions should have been performed and documented prior to expediting a complicated vaginal delivery for fetal distress:
- Reposition patient
- Administer oxygen by mask
- Perform vaginal examination to check for prolapsed cord; and
- Ensure that qualified personnel are in attendance for resuscitation and care of the newborn
What is acidosis and why is it considered an obstetric emergency?
The fetus depends on the mother for placental exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. This in turn relies on adequate maternal blood gas concentrations, uterine blood supply, placental transfer, and fetal gas transport. Disruption of any of these can cause fetal hypoxia (loss of oxygen), which may lead to acidosis (acid in the blood plasma). When severe and acute long delivery lasting hours or if prolonged for days or weeks, hypoxia and acidosis, are associated with potential long term consequences. Whether this damage is primarily due to reduced cell energy availability, as a result of hypoxia, or secondary to cell poisoning, as a result of acidosis, is unclear and indeed acidosis could simply be a marker of the cause and severity of the hypoxia.
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Has your baby suffered birth injury complications? What went wrong and who is at fault? Let the lawyers at the Pennsylvania law firm of Anapol Schwartz help you and your family. Find out how. This is a difficult time; let us help.
