The happiness of becoming a parent can quickly change into anxiety and depression when parents come to know that their child has a significant birth defect, genetic disease or disorder that will persist for the entire life.
Many parents are unaware that their child’s birth defect may have been caused by an injury during the delivery. While the majority of doctors and health care professionals are attentive and professional, medical errors are too common and have tragic consequences.
In many instances, birth defects or genetic diseases or disorders can be easily identified early enough during the mother’s pregnancy to allow the parents an opportunity to choose whether or not to continue with the pregnancy.
Misdiagnosis is a failure or delay in diagnosis of a certain medical condition. Medical errors can occur as a result of various reasons within a healthcare system.
If a birth defect or genetic disease is not identified during pregnancy simply because a medical care provider was negligent, a wrongful birth claim can be made.
Some of the common mistakes in a prenatal misdiagnosis are:
Failure to offer quadruple screen at the appropriate gestational age.
(Between 16 and 18 weeks gestation, blood is drawn from the mother and analyzed for the presence of four substances: hCG (human chronionic gonadotropin), AFP (alpha- fetoprotein), inhibin A and UE3 (estriol). Levels that are abnormally high or low are associated with an increased risk of Down syndrome or spina bifida and other neural tube defects.)
• Failure to take a competent and thorough genetic screening history of both parents.
• Failure to offer appropriate testing at the appropriate gestational age.
• Misplaced or overlooked prenatal screening results by obstetrical care providers.
• Improper laboratory analysis of prenatal screening testing.
• Improperly dated pregnancies.
• Improper interpretation of prenatal screening results by obstetrical care providers.
• Inadequately performed or interpreted standard ultrasound to survey fetal anatomy.
Unfortunately, many children with birth injury, genetic disorders or diseases will require a lifetime of expensive medical care. Many will need to be followed by several different types of specialists and participate in ongoing physical and occupational therapy. If your child has a birth defect(s) or genetic disorder or disease that you suspect may have been detectable during pregnancy, getting the compensation that you deserve may be the only way to provide the care and services needed to make the most of your child’s potential.
If you have concerns that your child’s birth injury may be the victim of hospital malpractice or medical malpractice please contact the Law Offices of Michael J. Weiss today for a free case evaluation. We have helped numerous families in Pennsylvania and New Jersey whose children have suffered birth injury.