Did your doctor fail to do a C-section when you needed one?

When you have a baby, you may have no way of knowing whether or not your condition during labor might suggest a need to do an emergency C-section unless you personally have an extensive background in obstetrics and gynecology. That’s why you trust your doctor to be able to recognize signs of maternal or fetal distress and make decisions in your best interest to keep you and your baby as safe as possible.

The average delivery room doctor would know when a particular situation warrants a C-section. In fact, sometimes, such circumstances become life-threatening, and yours or your child’s life may depend on your doctor not only understanding the need but taking immediate action to try to save your life or the life of your child. If you or your baby suffers injury because of doctor negligence, Connecticut law allows you to seek restitution.

Weighing the risks

Some people have planned cesarean deliveries for non-medical reasons. This type of choice is not without risk, for doing so may increase your chances of infection, blood clots and other surgery complications. The following list shows reasons that most experienced obstetricians would consider cause for interrupting the labor process with a C-section:

• If you suffer gestational diabetes, your doctor may have discussed the possibility of doing a C-section if your baby is not born by your due date.
• Your baby’s birth weight and the size of the birth canal may prompt a doctor’s decision to do a C-section. Doctors know this is the best course of action if the baby is too large to fit through the birth canal.
• Failure to progress is another valid reason for ordering animpromptu cesarean delivery. If you’ve been in labor a long time and your cervix is not dilating or other normal progression is not happening, it may a sign of fetal or maternal distress.
• If your baby turns the wrong way during labor and presents with feet or buttocks first instead of his or her head, your doctor may tell you that a C-section is warranted.
• Pre-eclampsia, placental abruption or other complications would prompt most doctors to stop the vaginal birthing process and opt for a C-section.

You have hopefully been discussing these and other pertinent topics with your doctor throughout your prenatal visits. Many hospitals invite you to create a birthing plan where you can list specific instructions or desires, such as having a water birth or using a birthing ball. It’s important to know what the protocol is at the hospital where you’ll deliver. It’s also critical that you can trust your doctor to do the right thing.

What if he or she doesn’t?

Doctors are human and can therefore make mistakes. However, there’s a big difference between an unwitting error and negligence. If you report a matter of concern to your doctor and he or she disregards it and that issue winds up causing an emergency situation where you or your child suffer injury because your doctor never took steps to examine you or never took proper action as the emergency was unfolding, you may have grounds for filing a medical malpractice claim.