Obstetrician And Nurse Settle Lawsuit After Allowing Fetal Distress Deteriorate And Baby Dies

ing that fetal distress is a dangerous complicationprecipitously dropped to dangerously low levels. At
in pregnancy that frequently entails a diminishedthat point the nurse finally informed another
oxygen supply to the unborn baby. Fetal distressobstetrician at the hospital of the situation. As
often comes about after the unborn child'ssoon as he was apprised of the situation this
oxygen supply is somehow significantly reduced.obstetrician did not hesitate to do an emergency
Fetal distress is spotted by monitoring the unbornC-section. On doing the procedure the doctor
child's heart rate. Under particular circumstances,determined that the baby had been deprived of
such as when the heart rate drops below aoxygen (which accounted for the fall in the heart
specified level, fast action like an emergencyrate) on account of a placental abruption.
C-section is required. This article examines aThe physician had information that the patient
reported medical malpractice claim where therewas being transported to the second hospital and
was a lapse of about 2 hours.expected her obstetrician to meet her there.
In this case an expectant mother who had fallenHowever, instead of go to the hospital as he
was being taken to a hospital to check that therestated he would do, the physician went home.
was no injury to her unborn child. The patient hadThis would not have been a problem if the
undergone an ultrasound at the hospital in order toobstetrician had informed the staff at the second
look for any harm to her baby and the ultrasoundhospital of this choice. Believing the physician was
had been interpreted as displaying no injuries. Theheading toward the hospital the nurse at the
doctor agreed to meet his patient at a secondsecond hospital, who might normally have instantly
hospital where she was going to be transportedadvised a different obstetrician of the fetal
to have other monitoring which the first hospitaldistress, did nothing but continue to wait for a
was not properly set up to carry out.doctor who would never appear.
When at the second hospital a fetal heart rateAt birth the newborn was non-responsive. Despite
monitor was connected to the woman. The laborthe fact that the medical staff attempted
and delivery nurse at this hospital interpreted theresuscitative measures they were not able to
strip as non-reassuring and revealing that therevive the baby. The law firm that handled the
unborn child was experiencing fetal distress. Givencase was able to state that they accomplished a
that the patient's doctor had indicated he wouldsettlement totaling $750,000 on behalf of the
meet his patient there, the nurse resolved thatchild's parents. As this claim displays, a physician
the correct plan would be to hold out for thewho agrees to follow up on the care of the
obstetrician to turn up, even as she observedpatient and does not might be liable for
that the fetal distress was worsening.malpractice and a nurse who fails to inform a
The nurse continued to wait for the doctor tophysician or take other proper measures right
appear for two hours. She kept waiting until theaway on observing signs of a critical complication
monitor suggested that the baby's heart rate hadin the pregnancy might also be liable.