Maryland Injury Lawyer Blog

A cesarean section or “C-section” delivery refers to the well-known process of surgically delivering a baby from the uterus as opposed to a normal vaginal birth. In a C-section, the doctor makes a surgical incision in the mother’s stomach and the baby is physically extracted through the opening. There are a lot of birth injury medical malpractice lawsuits filed in Maryland due to the failure to perform a C-section.

Cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) is an obstetrical condition where the baby’s head is too bid in proportion to the size of the pregnant mother’s pelvic bone.  CPD presents dangers for both mother and baby during labor and delivery.  An overly large head means that the baby will have difficulty passing through the birth canal.  This typically means labor and delivery of the baby will be prolonged and stressful.

A baby normally enters the birth canal with its face toward one side or the other of the mother If the head comes into the birth canal or tries to get into the birth canal but cannot because there is a mismatch between the size of the head compared to the size of the birth canal, that is called cephalopelvic disproportion.  This is not a safe situation for the baby because it can cause oxygen deprivation. Continue reading

Pregnancy can make mothers more prone to infection and increase the severity of an infection. This is because pregnancy temporarily weakens a mother’s natural immune system.

Failure to properly diagnose and treat certain maternal infections during pregnancy can be very dangerous for the baby and result in serious birth injuries.

Below is a summary of the most common types of maternal infections that can lead to birth injuries.

Our attorneys see a lot of parents calling us believing their child was harmed by chorioamnionitis who are trying to find out if they have a birth injury claim.  Chorioamnionitis is a bacterial infection of the fetal membrane and amniotic fluid during pregnancy.  A chorioamnionitis infection occurs when vaginal bacteria transfer into the uterus and spread.  Chorioamnionitis occurs in approximately 2% of all childbirths in the U.S.  It can have a number of adverse effects during pregnancy. A chorioamnionitis infection can block or limit the mother’s ability to pass nutrients to the baby.

If chorioamnionitis is not properly diagnosed and addressed the infection can also spread to the baby resulting in permanent long-term birth injuries such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, cerebral palsy.  How does it cause a brain injury?   Chorioamnionitis causes an inflammatory response of cytokines that targets specifically the periventricular white matter in the premature infant, causing periventricular leukomalacia or PVL. The periventricular white matter is particularly sensitive to damage.  It is also important to remember that chorioamnionitis is known to cause utero placental insufficiency and to compromise the ability of the placenta to oxygenate the fetus.  Most birthing process brain injuries involve oxygen deprivation.

Chorioamnionitis can also cause premature labor and delivery which can lead to a host of complications for the mother and child.