Pregnancy can come with various risks, potentially impacting the mother’s or the baby’s health. Some issues are minor, which can be manageable with adequate prenatal care. Other times, complications like maternal cardiac arrest can cause grave repercussions, including long-term health conditions or even death.
This type of cardiac arrest happens to pregnant women during or before labor. It is not as common as other complications, but it can be deadly if not detected or addressed immediately. Many health issues can contribute to maternal cardiac arrest, including the following:
- Excessive bleeding during or before childbirth
- Preeclampsia
- Amniotic fluid embolism
- Sepsis or blood infections
- Heart problems
Ideally, doctors can diagnose these issues as early as possible, helping them determine how to manage risk factors and minimize the chances of cardiac arrest. Recent medical developments allowed the maternal cardiac arrest survival rate to improve by up to 60% from 1998 to 2011. Still, many risks exist, requiring doctors to maintain the optimal standard of care when handling pregnancy or childbirth cases.
Taking legal action for negligence
Sometimes, uncontrollable factors come into play with pregnancies and labor. The chances of complications could vary based on the mother’s overall physical health and whether the baby developed any conditions inside the womb. There are also some instances where the health care provider’s negligence contributed to the complications, putting the mother and infant in danger.
A doctor can also fail to address the mother’s health issues early in the pregnancy, causing their condition to worsen over time. These incidents can be medical malpractice based on the situation, warranting victims to take legal action against the negligent party. Doing so might be the victim’s only option to receive compensation and justice for their losses.
