Experienced Birth Injury Attorneys in Grand Rapids, Michigan for Fetal Heart Monitoring Errors

Health care providers use fetal monitoring in order to monitor and interpret your baby’s heartbeat during labor and birth. It’s a very simple device that is relatively easy to use and hook up to you during your labor.

The average fetal heart rate is between 110 and 160 beats per minute, and your baby’s heart rate may change as a response to conditions in the uterus. If the heart rate of your baby is abnormal, it may indicate that your baby is not getting enough oxygen or that another problem is occurring. It may also indicate that an emergency C-section is needed. There are no risks associated with external fetal monitoring. Really, there is no reason not to be monitoring your baby.

Babies are monitored during labor, and labor can be tough on babies. Contractions cause less oxygen to be available to the baby. Over time, babies can start to have trouble tolerating labor. When this happens, healthcare providers can see changes in the baby's heart rate tracing pattern. The goal is to identify a baby that will suffer a neurological injury if labor continues without intervention.

Sometimes, nurses, midwives, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, residents, or even doctors read the strips wrong.  Sometimes they stop monitoring the baby, even when a baby has started to show signs of trouble.  Sometimes the staff can't find the fetal heart monitors.  These are just examples; there are many errors that can happen.

When negligent fetal monitoring leads to a delay in performing a C-section or otherwise helping to get oxygen to the baby, the baby's brain and other organs can get injured from lack of oxygen.  If the baby isn't helped fast, brain injury can be severe and permanent.

Changes in fetal heart tracing patterns are evidence that the baby is not getting enough oxygen.  This is called a "hypoxic environment."  When a baby has hypoxia, his or her blood becomes too acidic.  Eventually, this results in a condition known as "metabolic acidosis."  At this stage, the baby's body can't work right.  Babies are amazing, and they actually redirect as much blood flow as possible to their vital organs, including their brains and hearts, to try to minimize injury and survive.  But if the baby isn't delivered, there can be injury to the brain and other organs.

Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a severe brain injury that can be caused by lack of oxygen.  Babies with HIE at birth can develop seizures and cerebral palsy.

Your job is to take care of yourself and your family.  Our job is to litigate.  We always want our clients to be as involved as they want to be, and we will always keep you fully informed.  But we do whatever we can to make the lawsuit as easy for you as possible.  You can learn more by reading our article, Birth Injury 101.

We advance all of the money needed to pursue the lawsuit.  Lawsuits involving birth injuries need many experts.  Experts cost thousands of dollars each, and a case with HIE or cerebral palsy may need almost 20 experts.  We cover these costs for you until you are compensated by the healthcare providers or hospital.

We also make sure you are prepared for life after you are compensated.  We do this by matching you up with a team of experts even before a settlement.  This includes financial experts, trustees, life care planners, and similar.

If you think something may have gone wrong during the fetal monitoring of your baby, or you did not have fetal monitoring and something went wrong during your delivery and the subsequent health of your child suffered, reach out to us for a free case review. Our attorneys are well-versed in the area of labor, delivery, and birth injuries.  Contact us at 616.278.0888 or by email at info@hoffersheremet.com to discuss your potential case.