OXYGEN DEFICIENCY 

Oxygen deprivation during delivery can leave a baby with an irreversible life-long birth injury. Depending upon the severity, hypoxia and anoxia can cause severe disabilities and developmental delays. If a preventable medical error in the delivery room causes an irreversible birth injury due to oxygen deficiency, health care providers and insurance companies need to be held accountable. The expenses associated with medical costs, and potentially lifelong care can be astronomical. If you suspect medical malpractice resulted in oxygen deficiency in your baby during delivery, you need to contact a personal injury lawyer with proven birth injury case experience as soon as possible. Listed below are some common injuries associated with oxygen deficiency during delivery.

Oxygen Deficiency Injuries

Hypoxia

Hypoxia happens when a baby has low oxygen levels. In babies that are born premature, hypoxia can happen due to not having the lungs fully developed. If there’s not enough oxygen in the infant’s body, due to a preventable medical error, that can lead to potentially irreversible adverse health conditions. If the baby’s oxygen source is cutoff for a short period of time, say under a few minutes, the baby can quickly be in danger of hypoxia. This can happen if the umbilical cord prolapses or if the cord becomes kinked or pinched during the delivery.

Anoxia

If the baby goes more than a few minutes without oxygen, you could be looking at anoxia, which is a condition that involves a complete absence of oxygen. For example, if oxygen doesn’t get to the baby quickly, he or she could be at risk for cerebral anoxia, which occurs when the brain is completely deprived of oxygen. If this happens, the baby is at risk for potentially permanent brain damage. If a child is in danger in the womb and immediate medical intervention, such as an emergency C-section, is delayed, it can put babies at risk for certain irreversible life-long conditions.

Common Causes of Oxygen Deficiency