Fetal Monitoring
One tool that is available to help clinicians identify signs of hypoxia and potentially avoid fetal asphyxia and death during the pregnancy is electronic fetal monitoring. The fetal heart rate in both premature and term fetuses may show signs, such as variable, prolonged, and/or late decelerations, bradycardia and tachycardia, and decreased and absent variability, when the fetus becomes hypoxic or acidotic. Abnormal fetal heart rate patterns can signal a developing crisis for the fetus that can be prevented by timely intervention and expedited delivery. Thus, for electronic fetal monitoring to help doctors and nurses determine whether the fetus is hypoxic or being compromised in utero, they must be properly trained to recognize "abnormal" or "nonreassuring" fetal heart rate patterns and signs of fetal distress. More importantly, they must perform recognized interventions to help the baby in the presence of nonreassuring signs (such as: lower or discontinue pitocin, administer oxygen, change position, start IV fluids), appreciate the potential dangers associated with specific patterns, and expedite the delivery in those circumstances where fetal well-being cannot be confirmed.
Obviously, obstetricians believe that they can take steps to try to improve the outcome of every pregnancy. Why else would they emphasize the importance of prenatal care, order ultrasounds and other prenatal tests of fetal well-being, utilize electronic fetal monitoring during labor and delivery, and expedite delivery -- often via cesarean section -- when there are indications of fetal distress. Unfortunately, however, some cases of cerebral palsy continue to occur because clinicians fail to recognize and to respond to fetal heart rate patterns suggesting the presence of hypoxia and developing acidosis and to expedite the delivery before the onset of irreversible brain damage.
If your family has been affected by a birth injury or obstetrical malpractice, please contact Andrew E. Greenwald or Dov Apfel at the law firm of Joseph, Greenwald & Laake, P.A. Our services are offered on a contingency basis. Therefore there is no fee if there is no recovery.
