Perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy occurs in 1 to 3 per 1,000 live full-term births. Of the newborns affected by this condition, 15% to 20% will die while they are in the postnatal period.

An additional 25% of these newborns will develop severe and permanent neuropsychological consequences, including increased hyperactivity, mental retardation, visual perceptive or visual motor dysfunction, epilepsy, or cerebral palsy. HIE has devastating and permanent consequences, making it a major burden for the patient as well as their family.

Causes of Hypoxia

Hypoxia occurs when a baby does not receive adequate oxygen to its brain during, before or after delivery. It can result in brain injury and if proper treatment is not provided, it can progress to a permanent disorder such as HIE, cognitive deficiencies, etc. It is vital that hypoxia is identified as early as possible. Some of the potential risk factors for this condition include:

• Oxygen deprivation
• Umbilical cord injuries
• Infection
• Congenital heart disease
• Placental insufficiency, which is a disorder affecting blood flow, resulting in lack of growth of the placenta
• Placental abruption, which is when the lining of the placenta and the mother’s uterus are separated
• Cardiovascular collapse
• Abnormality of blood brain vessel
• Umbilical cord prolapse, which is when the umbilical cord may leave the uterus at the very same time or before the baby
• Shoulder dystocia, which occurs when the infant’s shoulder may get stuck behind the pubic bone of the mother during labor

Symptoms of Hypoxia

Some of the symptoms of birth hypoxia or birth asphyxia include:

• Low heart rate
• Pressure on the umbilical cord
• Low blood pressure in the mother
• Pale or bluish skin color
• Weak or no breathing from the baby
• Excessive acid in the blood
• The baby experiences seizures

Although only a small percentage of births in New York involve problems like hypoxia, there are some cases in which medical malpractice occurs and the medical staff fail to recognize the condition’s symptoms or act promptly to treat and resolve the problem. In such cases, you can file a medical malpractice lawsuit with the help of a legal counselor.

Make sure that you have all your medical records in order so that experts can determine if your baby’s hypoxia was indeed caused by your doctor, nurse, or any other medical professional’s negligence. If you do have a viable case, you can make sure that you receive compensation to take care of your child’s many needs for years to come.

Get Expert Legal Help in New York for Hypoxia

If you or a loved one’s child has suffered from hypoxia due to medical negligence in New York, you should quickly get in touch with the qualified and experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff, & Wolff of RMFW Law at 212 697 9280. Call us today!

These cases are straightforward but RMFW Law knows how to deal with them. We know a viable case when we see one. We have won millions of dollars for past clients and you too can be on this sunny list. We will keep you informed every step of the way and RMFW Law knows how to handle cases inside and outside of court.