Syracuse Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
If your child suffered birth injuries as a result of fetal macrosomia, you may be the victim of medical malpractice. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, our experienced Syracuse medical malpractice attorneys are committed to holding negligent medical malpractice parties accountable for the harm that they cause.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the term “fetal macrosomia” describes a newborn baby that is significantly larger than your average infant. To be diagnosed with fetal macrosomia, a baby must have a birth weight of more than 8 pounds 13 ounces irrespective of the fetus’s gestational age. As you can imagine, a baby this big can create dangerous complications for the birthing process. Fetal macrosomia is hard to detect during pregnancy but the condition can put a child at higher risk of lifelong injuries, including cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, brain bleeds and other traumatic injuries. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that a little more than 10 percent of all pregnancies in this country result in macrosomia.
There are certain signs and symptoms of fetal macrosomia that doctors are trained to recognize. In addition, doctors can detect and diagnose macrosomia through an ultrasound, measuring the abdominal circumference, conducting the Leopold maneuver (i.e., by pushing on a mother’s abdomen) and/or by measuring the pregnant woman’s fundal height.
In pregnancies dealing with macrosomia, it is most important to manage the underying causes of the condition. For example, obese women should be instructed to gain as little weight as possible. While vaginal delivery is still possible for macrsomic babies, there are risks. Vaginal deliveries for such babies often require the use of instruments such as vacuum extractors or forceps. These instruments have the potential to cause injury if not used properly. In addition, in all cases, a doctor should be prepared to perform an emergency C-section.
Mismanaged fetal macrosomia can cause birth trauma. If a medical professional’s error, wrongdoing or misconduct causes an injury to the mother or child, it may be medical malpractice. Medical malpractice is not simply a negative outcome. Rather, medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional deviates from the level of care that a reasonably competent medical professional would have used in the same or similar circumstances, thereby causing injury or death to a patient.
Once malpractice is established, the plaintiff may be able to obtain a variety of compensation such as medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, cost of future care and more. Of course, no amount of compensation make right the injuries suffered, the money can help you and your family pay for some of the expenses that often arise after a medical injury.
If your child suffered an injury due to mismanaged fetal macrosomia, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, our highly skilled Syracuse birth injury attorneys will meticulously examine the circumstances of your child’s birth injury and help you understand your legal rights and options. For a free consultation, please call us at 833-200-2000 or contact us online.
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