Can induced labor cause cerebral palsy?

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Question:

My obstetrician induced labor using the drug called Pitocin. The labor was over 18 hours long. When my daughter was born, she was diagnosed as having cerebral palsy. Is it possible that the long labor caused brain damage resulting in her condition?

Answer:

Cerebral palsy cases involving brain injury at birth make up about 10 to 15% of all cerebral palsy cases.  There have been occasions when mistakes made by doctors and other health care practitioners have led to brain damage in an otherwise healthy infant.  There are many mistakes a doctor can make that may cause cerebral palsy which include:

  • Improperly using the drug pitocin to induce labor
  • Failure to react to the changes in vital statistics of the baby during labor
  • Failure to order a caesarean section when fetal distress occurs
  • Failure to act quickly enough when labor was not progressing or progressing too slowly

Medical errors, negligence, and malpractice can be very difficult to prove.  By enlisting the assistance of a fully qualified and experienced medical malpractice attorney, you could file a successful lawsuit against the hospital responsible.  You may be able to obtain compensation for suffering on behalf of your child, as well as the cost of treatment and care for the child.

Talk to a Medical Malpractice Attorney to learn more about medical negligence claims and find out if you have any legal options to hold the doctor accountable for your baby's condition.

Good luck.

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