Many Maternal Injuries During Childbirth Can Be Prevented

JACKSON, Mississippi. We often hear about the devastating effect of birth injuries on infants and newborns. There are many ways doctor’s mistakes can leave a baby with serious and life-altering injuries. Hospitals have taken major steps to prevent infant injuries during delivery and right after childbirth, but in the process, they may have lost sight of the mother’s health. According to ProPublica, 50,000 mothers suffer complications during childbirth and delivery. These complications can leave women facing high medical bills, trauma, and can also leave women emotionally devastated. Women suffer from a range of conditions, from organ failure, hemorrhages, and other serious complications. Many of these conditions and complications could have been prevented with proper medical care. To make matters more complicated, reporting practices for birth-related complications are not standardized. When women suffer problems after giving birth, these problems may not be linked to their labor or childbirth.

Some women face emergency hysterectomies after giving birth to prevent further bleeding or infection. This life-altering procedure can leave a woman unable to bear more children and require a woman to take hormones for the rest of her life.

According to the New York Times, the rate of maternal mortality is higher in the United States than other developed countries. Women of color are far more likely to suffer from childbirth complications than white mothers. Black women are three times more likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth than white mothers.

Why are women suffering from maternal injuries? Some experts believe that unconscious bias might play a role. Doctors might downplay women’s complaints or ignore them. Women’s pain isn’t always taken seriously. If a woman is experiencing abdominal pain, she may be told it is “normal” when this could sometimes be the sign of a more serious condition. Doctors are just starting to implement better practices to protect the lives of women and new mothers, but critics claim that there isn’t enough money being set aside to protect mothers after childbirth. Hospitals may not be properly monitored and they are not being required to follow standardized protocol.

So, what can women do? If you suffered complications after childbirth, you may be entitled to seek damages through a medical malpractice lawsuit. Unfortunately, more hospitals and doctors might not take action to make positive changes until hurt women come forward and seek justice. If you’ve suffered injuries during or after childbirth and you believe your doctor or hospital was at fault, consider speaking to the birth injury attorneys at the The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm in Jackson, Mississippi. Our Firm understands how devastating an injury or complication can be for a new mother. It can take away time you can enjoy with your new baby and can impact your family financially, emotionally, and physically for years to come. Visit our Firm at http://www.lawbowling.com/ to learn more about how we can help you seek justice, if you were hurt.

The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm, A Professional Law Corporation

1615 Poydras Street, Suite 1050

New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112

Phone: (504) 586-5200

Toll Free: (504) 586-5200