Researchers in England have found that babies born during weekends have a slightly higher risk of dying within their first seven days in comparison to those born on weekdays. Imperial College London scientists analyzed 1.3 million births across English National Health Service hospitals between April 2010 and March 2012. Their findings showed the death rate...
Health experts are urging pregnant women to eat healthy and exercise in order to combat obesity and reduce the pregnancy risks associated with it. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), more than 50 percent of the nation’s childbearing-age women are obese, overweight or have chronic diseases when becoming pregnant. Obese women...
A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit against a certified nurse midwife (CNM), alleging that the midwife’s negligence caused her baby to experience a brachial plexus injury during childbirth. According to the complaint, Barbara Carroll, CNM, did not provide appropriate care to the woman, who had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes and had already been...
A new study has found that expectant mothers living close to hydraulic fracturing wells are more likely to experience high-risk pregnancies or deliver prematurely. Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, involves drilling into the earth and pumping water, chemicals and sand to release the natural gas inside. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of...
A new study shows that although Florida’s premature birth rate has improved since four years ago, the state still has a high number of such births every year. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, Florida’s premature birth rate has dropped from 13.6 percent in 2013 to 9.9 percent in 2014. The March of...
Medical staff are responsible for carefully monitoring the unborn baby throughout labor and delivery. They must ensure the infant is getting enough oxygen and is not displaying signs of fetal distress. Common warning signs of fetal distress include changes in the baby’s heart rate or movement. Doctors often use electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) to ensure...

In June 2015, The Federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launched an investigation into the unusually high mortality rate among infants who underwent open heart surgery between 2011 and 2013 at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. The investigation was triggered by a CNN report which stated that 12.5% of infant...

Researchers have claimed doctors should not assume that a mother who has previously undergone a vaginal delivery is exempt from the risk of her subsequent babies sustaining brachial plexus birth injuries. A recent study analyzed all brachial plexus birth injuries that occurred between October 2003 and March 2013 at an academic medical institution. There were...

A new app called QUiPP could help doctors predict the risk of preterm deliveries. Infants born before 37 weeks’ gestation are considered premature. Each year 15 million babies worldwide are born prematurely. More than one million die from the resulting birth injures and complications. Doctors use several factors to determine the risk of premature birth...

It is not unheard of for a doctor to blame a mother for her child’s birth injury. This is why it is so important for parents of injured children to understand their rights in a birth injury claim. An attorney can act as an advocate for the mother and injured child, fighting to represent the...

Infants are more susceptible to head injury than adults given that their heads are proportionately bigger and they have yet to develop the muscles and coordination that adults have. While most head injuries in infants are minor, serious brain injuries can occur in traumatic accidents and during complicated births. Causes of Infant Brain Injury Infants,...

The long-term effects of Erb’s palsy depend on the severity of the underlying nerve injury and the use of skilled medical intervention. Some patients will experience no permanent effects, while others face a lifetime of physical limitations. Parents may choose to pursue a birth injury claim in cases where a doctor’s negligence caused Erb’s palsy....

Trauma during the labor and delivery process can lead to either minor or severe birth injuries. These injuries might include: Broken or fractured bones Infections Cerebral Palsy Brain trauma Skin lacerations Brain swelling Lack of oxygen Neurological disorders Some of these birth injuries, like a lack of oxygen or bruising, may go away over time....

Your legal options when your baby suffers birth injuries in Florida may include filing a medical malpractice lawsuit for the injuries depending on the circumstances of your case. You might be eligible for compensation if medical malpractice is to blame for your newborn’s birthing injuries. Examples of Medical Malpractice There are many things that can lead to...

You may be eligible to seek monetary compensation if your child suffers cerebral palsy during birth. We must demonstrate that another party was at fault for the mistakes that led to cerebral palsy. Liability For the Damages and Costs Cerebral palsy is among the most common birth injuries . Anyone who is at fault for...

Erb’s palsy is a condition that is caused by an injury to the brachial plexus, which consists of the nerves around the shoulder. Erb’s palsy is also referred to as brachial palsy, Erb-Duchenned paralysis or Klumpke paralysis. The condition differs from other kinds of palsy, and is marked by frailty or lack of movement in...

Parents of injured children often struggle with questions such as – Should I hire an attorney to pursue compensation in a birth injury claim? The answer depends on the extent and cause of the injury. An attorney can provide legal representation if a parent believes a doctor or hospital’s mistake caused a birth injury, such...

The burden of proof in an Erb’s palsy case dictates that a plaintiff – in this case, the injured child’s parents – must prove his or her case based on evidence presented. Essentially, this means the victim must prove the doctor or hospital was at fault versus the doctor or hospital proving they were not...