Congress Looks at Childbirth Safety

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana. According to NBC News, the U.S. has the highest maternal death rate in the developed world. 700 women die each year due to complications related to their pregnancies. Another 50,000 are seriously injured due to childbirth complications. Many of these deaths could have been prevented with proper medical care. Researchers have found that when women go into labor, doctors may focus heavily on the health of the baby and fail to provide the mother with the same kind of intensive medical support she might need. According to NBC News, approximately 60% of all childbirth-related deaths could have been prevented had doctors and nurses identified complications in time.

Postpartum hemorrhage, heart trouble, infections, embolism, preeclampsia, and mental health conditions are the leading causes of maternal death. Many doctors and hospitals are increasingly becoming committed to evaluating the causes and factors leading to women’s death during childbirth. However, some critics claim that hospitals are not updating their policies fast enough. Many women are still dying and getting injured during labor or after childbirth. According to USA Today, the Ways and Means Committee is looking into the ways that maternal health can be improved in the U.S.

Congress wants hospitals to answer questions about how they handle maternal health during delivery and after childbirth. The hope is that by understanding how doctors are handling maternal health, lawmakers will be better able to address the problem and put laws in place to protect women. Congress wants to understand the methods hospitals are using to identify pregnancy complications. Critics claim that many hospitals are not doing enough. Congress also wants to better understand how hospitals are tracking pregnancy-related deaths. Ultimately, the hope is that lawmakers can find a way to better standardize pregnancy-related care and tracking of maternal deaths.

USA Today recently investigated why mothers are dying. According to the report, half of the hospitals wouldn’t respond to the investigator’s questions. The hope is that with Congress’s help, the American public will finally be able to get some real answers.

Are you one of the 50,000 women each year who has suffered a devastating childbirth injury? Childbirth injuries can affect your quality of life, your ability to enjoy regular life activities, and may require surgical or other interventions. This can all be costly. If you have been hurt during childbirth and delivery, you may have many questions and may be struggling to get answers.

The The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm are birth injury lawyers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana who work with women who have suffered birth injuries. As lawmakers and hospitals struggle to find answers, more victims are coming forward and seeking damages and answers on their own. You have the right to seek justice if you have been hurt. Visit us at http://www.lawbowling.com/ to learn more. You may be entitled to seek compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm, A Professional Law Corporation

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New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112

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