Any type of physician error or nursing negligence can have harrowing effects
on a Houston hospital patient. During labor and delivery, however, a doctor
error can affect a baby’s life even before the child is born. In particular,
brain injuries may be caused by a type of serious labor complication known as birth asphyxia.
Fortunately, some treatments are available, although each case is unique
and the condition can still result in severe injuries or, in some cases,
premature death of a newborn.
When birth asphyxia occurs during delivery, it is because something has
caused the baby’s brain to not receive enough oxygen. Since the cells
in the human body can’t function without oxygen, insufficient oxygen
can cause waste products to accumulate in the cells and, thus, damage
the body. At times the damage is only temporary, but, in other instances,
the damage may be permanent. There are many different causes of birth
asphyxia; the list includes issues with the umbilical cord during birth,
the placenta and uterus separating too soon and blockage of the baby’s airway.
Can anything be done to help babies who have suffered birth asphyxia? Babies
who have experienced only mild asphyxia can be offered breathing support
until they can inhale and exhale on their own. Those who have suffered
its more serious form may need the aid of a breathing machine or respiratory
therapy, as well as medication to avoid seizures and stabilize blood pressure.
More advanced cases may benefit from a breathing tube which carries nitric
oxide or the use of a high-frequency mechanical ventilation. Temporary
life support can be offered through a special heart-lung pump in which
a machine adds oxygen-rich blood into the baby’s body. In addition,
if started on time, a type of hypothermia treatment can cool the baby’s
internal body temperature to shield a baby from brain injury during asphyxia’s
second stage.
A brain injury to a newborn can be devastating, and the pain and suffering
suffered by both the child and their family can prove enormous. Errors
made during delivery or during treatment of birth asphyxia can be addressed
via a medical malpractice suit in which the defendant is the negligent
party or parties.
Source: Seattle Children’s, “Birth Asphyxia Treatment,” accessed May 10, 2015
