Medical Malpractice and Infant Hypoxia

The severity of infant hypoxia will determine if the condition progresses into a permanent disability.

Hypoxia is a medical condition in which the baby does not receive adequate oxygen to the brain before, during, or after delivery. The condition should be managed appropriately and quickly, or it can develop into a serious and life-threatening disorder such as cognitive deficiency, cerebral palsy, or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The severity of the condition would impact whether or not the condition progresses into a permanent disability.

Causes of Hypoxia

Risk factors of hypoxia include:

• infection
• brain blood vessel abnormality
• umbilical cord injuries
• congenital heart disease
• placental insufficiency
• cardiovascular collapse
• placental abruption
• oxygen deprivation
• umbilical cord prolapse
• shoulder dystocia

Treatment of Hypoxia

The first step that doctors must take to treat hypoxia is to resuscitate the baby and stabilize the flow of oxygen. After this, the doctor may choose other treatment options depending on the situation. Common treatments include hyper- or hypothermia management, ventilation, and fluid management. Recently, cooling therapy has emerged as a popular treatment for hypoxia. The treatment involves using a cool blanket to reduce and slow down brain swelling and cell death, preventing permanent brain damage.

In case the hypoxia was severe and resulted in permanent brain damage, then treatment would involve a combination of medicine and long-term therapy. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the brain damage caused by hypoxia, and the patient often has to undergo treatment and therapy for a lifetime. The patient may have to bear the huge costs of physical and psychological therapy.

Medical Malpractice Involving Hypoxia

Hypoxia can be managed if a doctor acts swiftly and takes the right steps at the right time. Any delay in treatment can lead to permanent brain damage. Today, there are advanced diagnostic techniques available to identify hypoxia in a timely manner. A delay in treatment that leads to permanent brain damage could be the result of birth injury medical malpractice.

There are medical standards of care that every health care professional must adhere to. Medical standards require a health care provider to identify the risks and promptly treat conditions to avoid permanent injury. If a doctor or medical care provider fails to do so, resulting in permanent brain injury to the baby, the doctor may be held liable for medical malpractice.