Compensation for Negligent Maternity Care of Women At Risk of OASI
Negligent care of a woman at risk of an anal sphincter injury during childbirth may justify a claim for compensation if debilitating symptoms are on-going.
Anal birth tears and medical care
An OASI is an obstetric anal sphincter injury and, without the appropriate medical care, its unpleasant effects are hard to overstate. If the anal muscles which control bowel movement are damaged by childbirth but remain undiagnosed and unrepaired, the new mother may suffer permanent and worsening bowel incontinence. In some circumstances, she may even require a colostomy and the fitting of a stoma bag.
According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, all women who have given birth through the vagina should undergo a thorough perineal and anal examination after the birth. This is particularly important, however, in the case of women who are known to be at an increased risk of this possible injury.
Such a possibility applies to a range of women including the following:
- Women who are giving birth through the vagina for the first time
- Women who are giving birth to a baby which is larger than average
- Women who are of Asian ethnicity
- When the baby suffers shoulder dystocia and becomes stuck behind the pubic bone during birth
- Where an instrumental delivery with either forceps or ventouse is carried out
On-going bowel symptoms
Symptoms which can be experienced by women with severe 3rd or 4th degree birth tears include extreme urgency when needing to go to the toilet, incontinence of both wind and faeces, perineal infections and discomfort, especially during sexual intercourse.
If you are experiencing these symptoms some time after the birth of your baby, it may be that you suffered a severe anal tear which was diagnosed or that, despite being diagnosed, the repair of your injury was inadequate in some way, leaving you with debilitating symptoms.
Whatever the cause, you may be struggling to cope with the symptoms you are experiencing and facing a loss of income because of your symptoms. If this is the case, it may be possible to make a claim for compensation which should address your financial losses.
Speak to a medical negligence legal specialist
Glyns is a dedicated medical negligence legal practice. We have extensive experience of maternal birth injury claims, and one of our team of expert lawyers will be very happy to advise you as to the best way forward.
Contact us today to talk to a specialist solicitor about the possibility of making a claim for compensation.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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