When you found out you were pregnant, you may have hoped for a hassle-free pregnancy in which you and your baby thrive, and you may have gotten it. However, now that the birth of the newest member of your family is imminent, you may be wondering what could go wrong.
It’s only natural to wonder about these things. Yes, women have been giving birth for thousands of years, but the fact of the matter is that complications do arise. The reason that the infant mortality rate has gone down is due to advancements in the medical industry, including the ability to deliver a baby via Cesarean. Knowing this option is available if necessary may provide you with some solace, but you may need to understand that things could go wrong with this procedure as well.
What are the risks to you and your baby?
Even though you are awake during this procedure, and doctors make it seem like no big deal, a C-section is still a major surgical procedure. There are risks to you and your unborn child, as listed below:
- You could suffer from excessive bleeding.
- Your baby could have breathing difficulties.
- You could end up with a dangerous infection.
- Your baby could suffer from lacerations.
- You could end up with a wound infection.
- You could have an adverse reaction to the anesthesia.
- Your doctor could cut your bowel or bladder during the operation.
- You could suffer from a life-threatening blood clot.
These risks are associated with every C-section, including those that turn out to be medically necessary. If your C-section wasn’t necessary or experienced a delay due to a doctor’s mistake, the risks to you and your baby could easily be greater.
Did you really need a C-section?
If you or your baby suffered some sort of harm as the result of a C-section, you may want to first make sure that it was necessary and happened in a timely manner. Doctors should order C-sections under the following circumstances:
- Your baby was in distress, which means it wasn’t getting enough oxygen.
- Your labor was taking too long and not progressing.
- You were carrying multiple babies.
- The umbilical cord slipped out of your cervix.
- Your baby was in an abnormal position such as buttocks or feet first.
- The placenta may have covered the opening to your cervix.
- You suffered from a health condition such as preeclampsia, which necessitated a C-section.
These are just some of the reasons why this procedure would be medically necessary. If your doctor cannot substantiate the need for the procedure and you or your baby suffered harm because of it, you may be able to seek compensation for your injury-related damages. You may also prevent another mother and child from going through the same ordeal.
