It is easy to detect deformities or physical health problems in a fetus using regular pre-natal CT scan imaging. In general, a newborn child is rarely born with medical health issues, especially medical problems associated with the brain.
However, medical negligence during delivery exposes the child to a lot of brain injuries that cause irreparable brain damage, such as cerebral palsy and neonatal stroke.
Neonatal stroke is a type of brain damage that is often caused by restricted blood flow to the brain. Additionally, neonatal stroke can be caused by insufficient oxygen flow in the brain, which leads to the death of brain cells.
In this article, we will discuss the various errors that occur during childbirth as a result of negligence, and directly contribute to the development of neonatal stroke.
Delayed C-section Procedure
There are various reasons that contribute to childbirth complications, such as prolonged labour. As such, a child remains trapped in the vaginal tract for a very long time, which constricts breathing. For comprehensive legal guidance on Atlanta Birth Injury Lawyer, turn to Ask The Law Doc. Contact us now to discuss your case.
Once the mother starts experiencing breathing difficulties or the contractions start reducing, the medical practitioner should order an immediate C-section operation to remove the child from the vaginal tract immediately.
It is disheartening for the mother if her child develops neonatal stroke as a result of a delayed C-section. Therefore, it is recommended to have an expert medical malpractice lawyer Michigan assess the medical reports to establish merit for a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Misuse of Vacuum Suction Cups
A newborn child’s head is very delicate and requires a lot of care to handle during delivery. Thus, suction vacuum suction cups are used to hold the baby’s head and pull it out gently.
However, if the medical practitioner is not careful, he may adjust the settings wrongly and the results may be catastrophic.
For instance, if the suction pressure is very high, the veins and arteries that supply blood to the brain will rupture, causing massive bleeding in the brain. Furthermore, ruptured veins will cause blood clots, which in turn cause neonatal stroke.
Misusing Picotin
There are some cases in which a mother’s contractions are irregular, which causes prolonged labour and delayed delivery.
In such cases, the obstetrician will chemically induce labour using regulated doses of Picotin. Nevertheless, a Picotin overdose will have negative effects on the unborn child (seeing that the placenta is still connecting the baby and the mother), such as the development of blood clots in the brain.
As a result, the child will exhibit signs of reduced movement, excess sleep, and mild signs of paralysis, which are the early signs of neonatal stroke.
Impact Stresses During Childbirth
Inexperienced midwives usually use excess force to pull and twist the child during childbirth, which causes excess pressure inside the brain.
Furthermore, excessive twisting causes torsion of major arteries in the brain, which in turn leads to bleeding.
In addition to cerebral palsy, impact stresses during childbirth will cause neonatal stroke shortly after the child is born.
Delayed or Improper Resuscitation
The amniotic fluid and blood clots often find their way into the child’s mouth and nasal cavities, blocking the airways to the lungs.
As such, resuscitation procedures such as clearing the nostrils and the trachea are necessary to restore the normal breathing abilities in the child.
Nonetheless, a delayed or improper resuscitation procedure means that the child is at risk of suffocation, which causes oxygen insufficiency in the brain.
The prolonged oxygen deficiency triggers the development of neonatal stroke in a newborn baby.
Spinal Injuries
Spinal injuries are the major contributing factor to different brain injuries, such as neonatal stroke and nerve failure.
But how do spinal injuries cause neonatal stroke?
Spinal fluid flowing into the brain is supposed to flow back out for proper sensory communications. However, a spinal injury during birth such as a dislodged spinal disc may cause accumulation of spinal fluid inside the brain.
The pressure accumulated inside the brain reduces blood flow, which in turn causes massive bleeding and blood clots—the two major causes of neonatal stroke.
What are the Methods Employed in Treating Neonatal Stroke?
Neonatal stroke is manageable if it is identified early. As such, there are various ways doctors can address neonatal stroke such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy—where a child is kept in a room full of pressurized oxygen—and administering heparin, which is an anticoagulant used to reduce blood clots inside the brain.
Conclusion
The medical errors discussed in this article occur due to negligence and usually cause neonatal stroke in a child. Therefore, it is good to have your medical malpractice lawyer examine the circumstances surrounding your child’s birth before filing a medical malpractice lawsuit.
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