In some cases, women choose to give birth through a c-section, perhaps because they have had one before, and it is safer to do the same procedure again. In other cases, it is medically necessary, as the child cannot be born naturally.
No matter why the woman ends up on the operating table instead of giving birth naturally, she needs to know that she can trust the medical team. This is major surgery. Mistakes can lead to serious complications for her or for the new child.
The unfortunate reality is that doctors do make mistakes during these procedures all the time in the United States. Some of the most common are:
- Quickly extracting the baby, leading to broken bones
- Accidentally lacerating the woman’s bowels or the bladder
- Accidentally lacerating the child’s skin; this is especially dangerous on the head or the face, but it’s a risk anywhere because it can get infected
- Not doing the c-section at the proper time. Doing it too early or too late can lead to unneeded complications.
- Injuring the mother in any way that requires a second surgery at a later date
- Accidentally leaving surgical instruments, such as a sponge, inside the mother’s body
- Not controlling blood loss so that the mother loses too much during the procedure
Any woman who suffers these types of injuries may find herself in for a long healing process. It can be expensive, stressful and painful. If the child is harmed, the injury could impact its entire life. Families need to know what rights they have to compensation after these mistakes.