Pregnancy is an exciting time for most mothers, and it is a time of increased medical care. Proper prenatal care is an important part of the overall care plan for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. If you are pregnant, you probably have a medical team complete with one or more obstetricians, nurses, ultrasound technicians and possibly specialists. You trust this team to alert you to any concerns, special needs or testing that will benefit the outcome of your pregnancy. It is the team’s job to ensure that you are educated about any special dietary needs or other self-care techniques that can help you keep yourself and your child in good health.
This obstetrical medical team is responsible for the early detection of any risks to you or your child and the management of those risks. In the event of negligent prenatal care, lawyers in New York from our firm can help exercise your right to file a lawsuit against the negligent healthcare professionals so you can recover damages.
The Elements of Effective Prenatal Care
Prenatal care programs consist of some common elements. Be sure that you are receiving the following services from your team and ask questions if you believe anything is being overlooked or neglected.
- Medical history: Your prenatal visits should be recorded, and all details of the pregnancy should be included in your medical history. If you have more than one obstetrician on your team, each doctor should be able to pick up your medical history and understand any special circumstances that could affect your health or the health of your baby.
- Risk assessment and follow-up: The obstetrical team should identify quickly and attend to any potential or real risks. You should receive education about any conditions affecting your pregnancy as well as proper testing, treatment, and follow-up.
- Regular examinations: Your obstetrical team should examine you on a regular schedule, and you should have access to routine tests associated with prenatal care. If you believe you are not being given proper testing or attention, ask questions and find out what the care plan is for you and your baby.
Risk Identification and Management
An important element of prenatal care is the management of any risks associated with your pregnancy. There are some common pregnancy-related conditions that pose serious threats to the mother and/or fetus, and your medical team should treat these conditions seriously.
- Abnormal growth of the fetus
- Gestational diabetes
- Hypertension – pregnancy-related
- Detected birth defects
- Ectopic pregnancies
Negligence and Medical Malpractice
When an obstetrician or other medical professional fails to provide adequate care, acts incompetently, or is negligent in the provision of care, negligent prenatal care lawyers in New York at our firm can help you hold the responsible parties liable. Consequences of prenatal care negligence can include multiple types of complications that may affect the baby and/or mother during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Some examples of the effects of negligent prenatal care follow.
- Birth defects that went unidentified during pregnancy
- Diseases of the mother that went undetected during pregnancy and were passed to the fetus
- Ectopic pregnancies that were undetected
- Long-term effects of maternal pregnancy conditions on the mother
Our Negligent Prenatal Care Attorneys in New York Can Help Your Family
Gacovino, Lake & Associates help victims of negligence with medical malpractice suits. If you believe you were not given adequate prenatal care and are suffering medical consequences, we are available to help you. Our focus is on helping families who have been affected by the negligent actions of a medical professional obtain fair settlements. Call us today at 800-550-0000, or use our online contact form to set up your appointment with our negligent prenatal care lawyers in New York.
