New Jersey Birth Infection Attorneys
Lawyers for Birth Injuries from Infection during Pregnancy, Labor and Delivery in NJ
During pregnancy, you share your body with another developing human. This is the most beautiful and profound experience; however, it also places additional strain on your body and weakens your immune system. While supplying the protection, oxygen, and nutrients your baby needs to grow, you may be more vulnerable to viruses and bacteria. Maternal infection is a common and potentially dangerous situation that must be detected and addressed as soon as possible. For this reason, it is absolutely essential for your doctor to conduct prenatal screening and to continuously monitor your health throughout pregnancy. In no uncertain terms, your life and the life of your baby depends on it. If you do develop an infection during pregnancy, there is a significant possibility that you will pass it along to your baby. When doctors fail to diagnose infections in pregnant women, it is not simply the mother who may be harmed. Infants can suffer severe birth injuries and permanent complications caused by undiagnosed and untreated maternal infections.
If you or your baby suffered injuries resulting from a doctor’s failure to diagnose or treat maternal infection, you have rights and legal options. It is your healthcare provider’s responsibility to protect your health and that of your baby. When they fail to do so, medical mistakes can lead to permanent harm. If prenatal or neonatal negligence resulted in a complications of an infection, contact our New Jersey medical malpractice attorneys for a free case evaluation. We are happy to listen to the circumstances of your unique case and discuss your potential for a legal claim. Call 866-708-8617 or send us an email to arrange your free consultation today.
Maternal Infections
There are several different types of maternal infections during pregnancy, which may be passed to a child while in utero or during delivery as the baby passes through the birth canal. Although some infections are relatively minor and pose little risk, there are others that may cause serious complications and even death. Depending on the specific case, infections may be caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, or fungi. You can contract an infection through sexual contact, the air, infected blood, the skin, insects, food, water, and other mechanisms. Sometimes, you will experience symptoms of an infection, while others show no symptoms at all.
Maternal infections can be separated into two distinct categories: congenital infections and perinatal infections. Congenital infections develop in the mother and are more likely to be transmitted to the unborn baby during the gestational period. These infections may compromise fetal development or lead to miscarriage or stillbirth. On the other hand, perinatal infections are more often contracted by newborns during labor and delivery. These infections can present symptoms in the newborn soon after birth and may lead to permanent health consequences if allowed to progress without medical treatment.
Common Infections Affecting Mothers and Babies
Some of the most common infections that may affect mothers and babies include:
- Rubella
- Group B Streptococci (GSB)
- Meningitis
- Encephalitis
- Measles
- Mumps
- Chicken pox and shingles (varicella zoster virus)
- Toxoplasmosis
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- Epstein-Barr virus
- Mononucleosis
- Hepatitis B and C
- Herpes
- HIV and AIDS
- Syphilis
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Influenza
Diagnosing Maternal and Fetal Infections
There are a variety of diagnostic tools that doctors can use to diagnose infection in mothers and infants. During pregnancy, your doctor can order maternal blood tests to confirm that you have an infection. They can also use a percutaneous blood draw to test the unborn baby’s blood while still in the womb. Other potential tests to confirm an infection diagnosis include: ultrasound, spinal tap, amniocentesis (testing amniotic fluid), and cordocentesis (testing a blood sample from the umbilical cord). If your doctor fails to identify signs of an infection, order appropriate tests, and begin treatment right away, you and your baby may suffer serious consequences. This type of medical negligence may provide grounds for a lawsuit.
Birth Infection Complications and Injuries
There numerous complications that may result from maternal infections during pregnancy or childbirth, some of which include:
- Pre-term labor
- Stillbirth
- Miscarriage
- Cerebral palsy
- Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- Cognitive impairments
- Learning disabilities
- Developmental delays
- Hearing or vision loss
- Seizure disorders
Was Your Baby Harmed by an Undiagnosed Infection in New Jersey? Get a Free Consultation with an Experienced Birth Injury Attorney
If your child suffered a birth injury resulting from complications related to an infection, you may be overwhelmed by the idea of pursuing legal action. You are not alone. Our highly knowledgeable New Jersey birth injury lawyers can help you pursue compensation for your child’s medical and long-term care, as well as the pain and suffering inflicted on your family. Contact us at 866-708-8617 for an absolutely free legal consultation.With offices in Newark and New York City, we regularly represent birth injury victims in Morristown, New Brunswick, Newark, Paterson, Hackensack, Mountainside, Neptune, Bayonne, Clifton, Toms River, and communities throughout New Jersey and New York.
Resource:
Maternal and Fetal Infections, Stanford Children’s Health
