North Carolina expectant parents may be aware that infant resuscitation is sometimes needed after birth. Placental problems, maternal infections, and sudden bleeding during pregnancy can all raise the risk of this being necessary. That risk may also increase with premature labor, an umbilical cord prolapse, an unusually large baby, or the use of forceps, vacuums, and other birth-assisting tools.
There are various ways to resuscitate an infant, including CPR, positive pressure ventilation, airway suctioning, and the injection of epinephrine. However, it is essential that physicians and experienced medical staff be present at the birth; otherwise, there is the chance that medical negligence will prolong the state of oxygen deprivation and lead, if not to death, to serious long-term conditions like brain damage, cerebral palsy, autism, and ADHD.
Delayed infant resuscitation is almost always the result of negligence. For example, the medical staff may fail to detect the need for resuscitation after birth, or they may fail to use the proper resuscitation techniques. They may fail to bring in experienced physicians even though they know that a birth has heightened risk factors. Resuscitation machines may also malfunction, providing inaccurate amounts of oxygen to infants. In fact, the FDA issued a Class I recall of GE Resuscitation Systems back in 2014 for this very reason.
Doctor negligence that leads to a birth injury can be devastating for both the infant and the parents. If the child lives, there will still likely be the need for substantial and expensive medical care and treatment. Parents who are in this position might want to meet with a medical malpractice attorney and discuss their situation.