What Causes Birth Asphyxia?
Birth asphyxia is the cause of 23% of newborn fatalities worldwide. Every year, up to one million people die due to the illness, characterized by oxygen deprivation and blood flow to the brain during birth.
Numerous health issues, many of which might cause misery for the child and hardship for their family, can result from birth asphyxia.
You might be entitled to financial compensation for your child’s damage if they suffered birth asphyxia due to the carelessness of a medical professional or doctor at the time of delivery.
Florida birth injury lawyers at Shapiro Law Group will assist you in obtaining the money required to provide for your child’s upbringing. They have a wealth of expertise in obtaining damage to injuries sustained by infants during delivery.
What Is Birth Asphyxia?
Birth asphyxia or neonatal asphyxia and perinatal asphyxia happen when a newborn is not given or lacks enough oxygen when they are born. It may cause breathing problems.
It may occur right before, during, or right after childbirth.
A buildup of excess acid or low oxygen levels in the baby’s blood might result from insufficient oxygen delivery to the body. These side effects may be fatal and need to be treated right away.
Babies may recover in situations that are mild or severe. However, in extreme circumstances, birth asphyxia can result in lifelong brain and organ damage or even death. Florida child birth errors are highly criticized by authorities.
Causes of Birth Asphyxia
Some causes of birth asphyxia include:
- Mothers with low blood oxygen levels before or during birth
- Blood cells of infants are unable to transport adequate oxygen (anemia)
- The baby’s airway is obstructed
- The baby’s airway is not correctly developed
- The mother’s blood pressure is too high or too low
- Significant illness in the mother or child
- Obstetric problems involving the umbilical cord
- Issues with the placenta prematurely splitting from the womb
- Extremely lengthy or difficult delivery
Cases that birth asphyxia is caused by medical negligence
Liability in situations involving baby hypoxia relies on who handled your labor and delivery and what resulted in your child’s damage. You may be entitled to sue the following parties for birth injuries:
- During your pregnancy, a midwife or doctor who didn’t adequately check your unborn child
- A medical professional, nurse, or midwife who failed to observe and take action throughout your labor and delivery appropriately
- The hospital where your baby suffered birth injuries, especially if a staff member’s carelessness resulted in your child’s lifelong harm
- A physician, respiratory therapist, or nurse who neglected to provide your newborn the proper treatment after delivery
Signs/Symptoms
A newborn infant may exhibit signs of an oxygen or blood flow shortage. They consist of:
- abnormal blood clotting
- lack of urination
- low blood pressure
- the baby being limp or lethargic
- seizures
- lack of breathing or difficulty breathing
- weak reflexes
- weak muscle tone
- low heart rate
- the baby is silent and not crying
- unusual skin tone
A low Apgar score is another sign. A newborn’s health is evaluated using the Apgar scale by medical personnel. Apgar refers to:
- Appearance
- Pulse
- Grimace
- Activity
- Respiration
Healthcare providers will assign a newborn a score between 0 and 10 based on their:
- breathing
- reflexes
- muscle tone
- heart rate
- skin tone
Birth asphyxia can be detected by a low Apgar score (between 0 and 3) that persists for longer than five minutes.
Prevention/Treatment
Birth asphyxia can occur quickly and without warning, making prevention challenging. But every birth has to be properly attended to and monitored, especially in environments with limited resources. Steps may consist of:
- A successful resuscitation
- Controlling body temperature
- Ensuring that the necessary tools are available
- Having appropriately trained and skilled healthcare professionals present for every birth
- Pretreatment with specific drugs, like barbiturates, to reduce the risk of brain injury
- Treatments, like body cooling, prevent secondary complications from asphyxia due to damaged cells releasing toxins treatments
How a Birth Injury Attorney Can Help
An attorney focusing on birth injury claims can assist you if you wish to file a birth injury case. Shapiro Law Group has a proven track record of success, collecting millions of dollars in damages for families dealing with the effects of medical malpractice.
A birth injury attorney can assist:
- Gather the proof you need to support your assertion
- Determine the compensation that your family may be able to demand
- In your interactions with the insurance provider and the hospital, fight for the welfare of your family and the preservation of your legal rights
Our attorneys at Shapiro Law Group provide free consultations to assess your claim and establish your legal alternatives for the best result for your kid and family. Call us now!
