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July 27, 2019

What are the Signs of Fetal Distress?

When a medical professional recognizes the signs of fetal distress, they must take swift action to prevent serious and deadly injuries from occurring.

During pregnancy and labor and delivery, doctors and nurses must monitor babies closely for signs of distress. This includes routine prenatal care, ultrasounds, and medical testing throughout pregnancy, as well as electronic monitoring during labor and delivery. If a pregnancy is classified as high-risk, then extra care must be taken to watch for signs of fetal distress.

Signs of Fetal Distress

Mothers, doctors, and nurses all play an important role in recognizing the signs of fetal distress. Promptly identifying these signs could prevent your baby from suffering permanent injuries and lifelong damage. Some of the most common signs of fetal distress include:

  • Decreased fetal movement – during pregnancy, babies move around frequently. While some pauses in fetal activity are normal, if a baby does not move or if the baby becomes less active, it may be a sign of fetal distress.
  • Abnormal fetal heart rate – during contractions, fetal heart rate is supposed to drop slightly and then quickly return to a normal baseline once the contraction is over. Variations of this may signify fetal distress. Babies with an abnormally high heart rate, an abnormally low heart rate, or deep continuing decelerations may be in distress.

Treating Fetal Distress

The medical team is responsible for identifying fetal distress and making an appropriate medical decision on how to effectively prevent harm. When a doctor or medical professional recognizes the signs of fetal distress, swift action must be taken to prevent injury to the baby. This may include additional monitoring, changes in position, the administration of fluids or medications, or even an emergency C-section.

When healthcare professionals fail to make appropriate medical decisions when a baby is in fetal distress, the results can be disastrous. If a physician dismisses signs of fetal distress or negligently fails to monitor labor or a high-risk pregnancy appropriately, they can and should be held accountable for their negligence. If their negligence leads to a birth injury, then parents may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit seeking damages.

An experienced Providence birth injury lawyer can help you obtain the money you need to pay for your child’s medical expenses both now – and in the future. While medical malpractice claims can be difficult to win, your chances of success are greater with the help of an experienced law firm.

Contact Our Providence Birth Injury Lawyers Today

When your baby has been injured because of a doctor’s or medical professional’s negligence, your whole world can come to a stop. Doctors and healthcare professionals have a responsibility to monitor babies for signs of distress during the labor and delivery process. When they are negligent or fail to monitor appropriately, serious and fatal injuries can occur.  As such, we fight aggressively for maximum compensation after a birth injury. Call us today at 401-273-8330 or fill out our confidential contact form for a free initial consultation and review of your case.