Finding the right obstetrician, at times, can be a nuanced and lengthy process. You may ask your friends and family for recommendations, do a preliminary phone interview followed by an in-person visit, all before making your choice.  However, just because you’ve chosen someone who may be the right fit, doesn’t mean you should stop asking questions along the way.

Trust But Verify

Certainly the training it takes to become a doctor, the regulations physicians have to follow, and even the Hippocratic oath are good reasons for us to offer our trust.  However, one of the best things you can do to insure the safety of others is to “trust but verify”.

When it comes to your OB-GYN, “trust but verify” may mean talking about his or her overall approach, asking for specific screenings, and openly talking through your own medical history and current physical condition.  Since birth injuries are often unintended consequence of both unforeseeable causes and medical negligence, discussing as many facts as you can will help prevent unnecessary complications.

Risks To The Mother

When obstetricians don’t take preventative measures, birth injuries have been known to occur as a result of simple oversights and negligence, such as:

• Miscalculating the size of the mother’s pelvis
• Miscalculating the size of the baby
• Misdiagnosis or oversight of maternal infections
• Lack of attention to test results
• Poor response to fetal distress
• Waiting too late to initiate a needed C-section
• Too much pressure and immoderate force throughout delivery
• Misuse of instruments such as forceps during delivery
• Failure to diagnose or treat jaundice

Risks To The Baby

Shoulder dystocia has been a focal point for many obstetricians of the last several years. When your OB-GYN is negligent and birth injury is the result, the complications of shoulder dystocia also could affect the newborn.  These could include:

• Infection
• Fractured Clavicle
• Fractured humerus
• Fetal asphyxia
• Cerebral palsy
  • Seizures
  • Impaired motor function
  • Vision Loss
  • Pain
  • Speech Disorders
  • Erb’s palsy
    • Paralysis of the upper brachial plexus
    • Limited ability to reach of grasp
    • Potential disfigurement

If an OB-GYN is negligent, it likely happens in one of two categories when speaking of shoulder dystocia – before and/or during birth. To get to the bottom of your baby’s shoulder dystocia case, you may decide to ask a birth injury law firm such as Teal & Montgomery to conduct a detailed investigation.

Reach out to us online or call anytime – Santa Rosa Office: 707-525-1212 or Sacramento Office: 916-448-1010