New York City Maternal Infection Lawyers

Representing New York City Mothers After Hospital Infections

Having a child should be a joyful experience, and it is the responsibility of your doctors and nurses to protect you against the worst dangers. There are numerous complications that can occur during childbirth, and doctors should be prepared for each and every one of them. They can do this by paying close attention to the mother’s health. Maternal infections not only put a mother at risk, but also her child.

If you or your newborn suffered an injury due to a doctor’s failure to treat or diagnose a maternal infection, you should not hesitate to contact Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP. Our New York City maternal infection attorneys can listen to what happened to you in a free consultation and determine if you were a victim of medical malpractice. Any damages you suffered due to medical negligence can be recovered in a personal injury claim, but it will take a dedicated legal team to get you full compensation. To get a free case evaluation, call us today at (212) 986-7353.

The Risk of Infections During Birth

Pregnant women are constantly supplying nutrients to their unborn children, which may heavily tax their immune systems. OBGYNs should conduct regular check-ups to keep an eye out for any possible infections. Any infection that a mother develops before or during her pregnancy can easily be passed on to her child, but quick diagnosis and treatment can prevent injury.

Infections during birth can be classified into these categories:

• Congenital Infections: Congenital infections are diseases that a mother develops on her own and passes onto a child while still in utero. This can include measles, chicken pox, and STDs. As the child’s body is still developing, if the infection is not treated, several complications and disabilities can occur. Oftentimes, early intervention by testing and treating the mother is the best route to protecting the child’s health.
• Perinatal Infections: Perinatal infections are infections that the newborn contracts during birth. A newborn may experience symptoms immediately after birth, especially if he suffered a bacterial infection from unclean hospital equipment or facilities. Perinatal infections can also be passed to the child through the mother’s blood during labor.
• Puerperal Infections: Once known as “childbed fever,” puerperal or postpartum infections occur when bacteria present during childbirth travel to the uterus and infect it. It is slightly more common with cesarean sections. It is a leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States, and often caused by unhygienic practices or poor-quality healthcare.

Maternal infections present several risks for a mother and newborn. Certain congenital infections can result in a miscarriage or stillbirth, but can also lead to developmental issues for the child, including:

• Cerebral palsy
• Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
• Hearing and vision loss
• Weakened cognitive functions
• Seizure disorders
• Learning disabilities
• Other brain damage

If a doctor closely monitors a pregnant mother’s health and screens her during prenatal care, infections may be prevented or controlled. If she reports having certain STDs or other infections, then doctors should treat them as soon as possible. Treating the mother can prevent the newborn from contracting a viral or bacterial infection before even being born. Doctors should also keep an eye on the newborn following delivery to determine if he or she has contracted an infection and requires further treatment to prevent lifelong damage.

Recovering Compensation for a Maternal Infection

A maternal infection is a case of medical malpractice when the doctor failed to follow the standard of care and allowed the mother or her child to suffer an injury. The general rule of thumb is that if a doctor did something that is considered unreasonable by other medical professionals, it can be considered medical malpractice.

There is no room for error during a pregnancy. Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals should follow all standard procedures when diagnosing a mother and caring for her child.

Whether the child developed an infection through the mother’s placenta, during labor, or due to a medical error, doctors should provide appropriate treatment as early as possible. Ignoring a mother’s symptoms can put the child at risk of being misdiagnosed and receiving delayed treatment, which can put them at risk of further injuries, even death.

Free Consultations for Injured Patients and Their Families

No parent should watch their child go through a serious infection or injury when it was 100% preventable. Patients throughout New York trust their doctors every day to provide the highest level of care, and when doctors fail in that duty, it can forever change patients’ lives. We hope that every mother has a safe and joyous birth, but when a child is injured due to medical negligence, our New York City birth injury lawyers at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, are fully prepared to fight for a family’s right to compensation.

If your child suffered due to medical negligence in NYC, reach out to our dedicated medical malpractice team. We have former nurses on our staff and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. We can use our more than 50 years of experience and resources to investigate your case. If a doctor or hospital staff member endangered your child’s life and future, we can fight to get you full compensation. Call us today at (212) 986-7353 to get a free case evaluation.