In case a pregnant woman who has previously given birth via a C-section gives birth to another baby via natural childbirth there is an increased chance that she will sustain a ruptured uterus while in labor. When this happens the unborn baby’s precious oxygen , which is normally obtained via the placenta, can be cut off. In case this happens for a prolonged period of time the unborn child can suffer brain damage and be left with severe lasting disabilities.

Examine a reported lawsuit about an expectant mother who went to the hospital for a planned vaginal delivery of her child. She underwent a C-section in a prior pregnancy but the nurse gave her a drug frequently employed to induce labor. The use of this drug needs to be carefully monitored for the reason that it end up a serious problem especially at greater levels. The nurse failed to convey to the attending doctor that the expectant mother started having an unusual pattern of contraction. Instead, even though the contractions escalated to clearly unsafe levels, she continued to administer the drug.

The baby was denied vital oxygen for a period of roughly 18-20 minutes from what turned out to be a uterine rupture. The baby was in fetal distress during this time – a condition that can be tracked by a machine which monitors the unborn baby’s heart rate. The diagnosis: cerebral palsy. As a result, the baby will never be able to talk or to walk. He will never be able to hold anything in his hands. He will never be able to eat on his own. He will always need to be fed with a feeding tube. He will always need full-time life assistance. He does, though, recognize his family and he is aware. The law firm that handled this matter described that the case went to trial and the jury came back with a verdict of $31,000,000. This total included $26 Million to cover future medical care.

As the claim discussed above demonstrates nurses and hospital staff need to determine if problems happen during a pregnancy. They also need to know and understand the effects and side effects of the medications they administer, and let the physician in charge know of any symptoms that suggest there is a problem developing. Whether the result of a deficiency of training, inexperience, overwork, or communication breakdowns, a failure in any (or as in this case all) of these areas can result in devastating injuries to the baby. When this happens the family may be able to bring a case for malpractice. As this matter furthermore shows, such cases, because of the nature and degree of the injury to the baby, can result in a considerable recovery.