It is every mother’s worst nightmare: losing her baby in childbirth. Modern medicine has drastically lowered the likelihood of such a thing happening in the United States in this day and age. But it does still occur, for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, the negligence of a doctor or nurse leads to the tragic result of a dead or injured baby. These preventable incidents can devastate the lives of the parents, to a degree from which they may never fully recover.
On January 2nd, a Texas baby named Olivia died five days after being severely injured during birth. Olivia’s mother spent 18 hours in labor, with a baby that was apparently too large and poorly positioned to be easily delivered. The doctor eventually tried to pull the baby out by her head with forceps, a tool that looks like salad tongs. The forceps crushed Olivia’s skull and broke her spine. She was finally delivered by emergency C-section on December 28th, but she was not breathing by that point. Olivia was resuscitated and transferred to another hospital, but died within five days.
Mother Requested C-section Delivery
Olivia’s mother is a very small woman, and she had suspected for some time that she would need to deliver the baby by C-section. Just after Christmas, the mother felt that the baby was too large inside of her, and she asked her doctor if he would induce birth and perform a C-section. But the doctor advised against the procedure, telling the mother that it would leave a scar. After the mother’s water broke, she spent about 18 hours trying to deliver the baby vaginally. The mother became sick during this time, and could not even push the baby into the birth canal.
The doctor still refused to perform a C-section for some time, and instead tried the forceps method. When that failed, and after fatally injuring Olivia, the doctor finally went ahead and performed the C-section. It is unclear why the doctor was so strongly opposed to performing the C-section, but it appears that his stubbornness and negligence led to the death of what would otherwise have been a perfectly healthy baby.
Family Will Sue Doctor for Medical Negligence
The parents have filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor, alleging negligence and a failure to act. In so doing, the family has made it clear that they believe the fault for Olivia’s death lies exclusively with the doctor and not with the hospital or the nurses. The family has also begun to campaign for a ban on forceps deliveries nationwide, in order to prevent what happened to them and Olivia from happening to another family.
What to do if your Child Is Injured During Birth
If your baby has been injured or killed during childbirth, or you have been the victim of another type of medical malpractice, you should contact a personal injury attorney immediately. An attorney can review the facts of your case and determine whether you have a viable claim. If so, they can help you seek the compensation you deserve.