Failure To Perform A Caesarean Section Despite Complications
If the obstetric team has caused you or your loved one harm because they failed to perform an emergency C-section, despite complications, you will be entitled to make a medical negligence claim.
Why might an emergency C-section be needed?
There are times when a woman attempts a vaginal delivery, but complications make it necessary to speed up the delivery. In such cases, a woman will be rushed to theatre and an emergency caesarean section will be performed.
An emergency caesarean section might be needed if:-
- There are signs of foetal distress, such as a slowing of his or her heart rate;
- The mother's blood pressure falls;
- Placental abruption, where the placenta come unattached from the uterine wall;
- Placental praevia, where the placenta is too near the cervical opening;
- The placenta prolapses out of the vagina, wrapping round the baby's neck.
As long as this emergency caesarean section is performed in time, the baby should be safely delivered and neither mother nor baby should come to harm.
Why might doctors fail to perform a caesarean section?
However, there are occasions when the health of mother and/or baby is deteriorating, but the obstetric team do not proceed to an emergency caesarean section. This might happen because:-
- Doctors and midwives are not properly monitoring the progress of the birth;
- The midwives do not communicate concerns to senior doctors;
- Problems are detected but are not thought severe enough to proceed to an emergency C-section.
Claiming for caesarean section negligence
Whatever the exact cause, failing to perform an emergency caesarean section despite complications can potentially result in devastating injuries for both the mother and the baby.
If this is something that has affected you, your partner or your child, you need to speak to a solicitor about your options. This is because failing to perform a C-section when required will amount to medical negligence, meaning the standard of medical care fell below an acceptable level.
Indeed, any competent doctor or midwife working on the maternity unit should know when a vaginal birth should be transferred to an emergency caesarean section. A failure to do so is unacceptable and the medical professionals at fault will be responsible for any harm you or your loved one has come to.
This means that you will be in a position to make a claim for the damage that has been caused. Although this will not undo the traumatic events of the birth, it will at least provide you with some form of recompense.
To find out more about claiming for medical negligence, contact a solicitor today.
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