A Cesarean section (commonly abbreviated as a C-section) is a major surgery. Sometimes, errors made by the surgeon can cause life-altering injuries to both the baby and the mother. Here’s what you need to know about common C-section injuries and why they happen.
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What Is a C-Section Injury?
Almost a third of births in the United States are via C-section. In a C-section, a doctor cuts through your abdomen and uterus to deliver the baby.
In many cases, it’s safer to give birth naturally, but there are some situations where a C-section makes the most sense:
- If you’ve had a C-section before
- If your baby is a breech birth
- If your baby is in distress
- If you’re having twins or triplets
- If your labor isn’t progressing normally
- If an obstruction is getting in the way of the birth
Sometimes, you and your doctor can plan a C-section in advance. But in other cases, unexpected circumstances (like your baby being in distress) can be enough to warrant an emergency C-section.
If I Get a C-Section Injury, Is It Considered Medical Malpractice?
The laws surrounding medical malpractice are much more complex than they may seem. Not every medical mistake is automatically considered malpractice. However, if a doctor does not follow established procedures during your surgery and after — or if they act in a way that is otherwise negligent — an injury you suffer might be the result of malpractice.
Unless you have a legal background, it’s next to impossible to determine whether an injury falls within the scope of medical malpractice.
If you have suffered an injury due to a C-section — or your baby has — the best thing to do is to schedule a case review with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer. An attorney can take a look at your situation and help you determine whether you have a case or not.
What Are Common C-Section Injuries To Mothers?
C-sections are generally regarded as safe, but that doesn’t mean there’s no risk of injury. These are some of the biggest risks associated with C-sections.
Bladder or Bowel Perforations
If a surgeon perforates your bladder or bowel, they may need to do another surgery to fix the issue. If they don’t catch the problem in time, you might develop sepsis or other life-threatening complications.
Blood Clots
Sometimes, a C-section might cause a large blood clot to form in one of the deep veins of your legs or pelvis (this is called deep vein thrombosis). If one of these clots gets dislodged and travels to your lungs, it may block the flow of oxygen to the rest of your body. This is a potentially deadly situation called a pulmonary embolism.
Severe Blood Loss
There’s always some bleeding with surgery. However, in some cases, a C-section might lead to heavier bleeding than normal.
Infections
Surgery increases your risk of infection. More specifically, women who have just had C-sections are more prone to getting infections at the incision site or in the lining of the uterus.
Reactions To Anesthesia
There’s a possibility you might have a reaction to the anesthesia used for your surgery. Some reactions are similar to mild or moderate allergic reactions, but others can involve anaphylaxis.
What Are Common C-Section Injuries To Babies?
Mothers aren’t the only ones at risk when it comes to C-sections. There are some risks to your baby, but generally speaking, a C-section is riskier for you than it is for your baby.
Cuts and Other Injuries
This doesn’t happen very often, but it’s possible that a surgeon’s scalpel (or a similar tool) might cut or otherwise injure the baby’s skin.
Breathing Problems
If your baby is born by C-section, they are at risk of a problem called transient tachypnea. This means they breathe unusually fast for a few days immediately after birth. Fortunately, their breathing will usually regulate itself within a few days.
What Are the Potential Causes of C-Section Injuries?
Sometimes, medical errors are truly unforeseeable. But more often than not, injuries to both mother and baby during C-sections are due to some kind of medical negligence. Each case is different, but it can be helpful to know some of the common causes of C-section injuries:
Inadequate Aftercare
If you’ve just had a major surgery, your doctor isn’t going to just send you home with no instructions. Surgeries like C-sections can be risky, but the risk doesn’t end when the surgery does.
Any time you get a cut, your body is at risk for infection. This is true even with shallow, skin-level cuts, but major surgeries that cut through muscles and organs pose an even greater risk. If untreated, these infections can grow and spread. If left unchecked, they can even cause sepsis, a potentially fatal condition.
If your medical team fails to keep the surgical site clean (or if they don’t tell you how when you’re sent home), you might develop an infection right at the surgical site. However, because a C-section involves cutting into your uterus, you also might develop an infection of the uterine lining after the surgery.
Delayed C-Section
Timing is important when it comes to delivering a baby. If a C-section isn’t planned, it might take some time for your doctor to determine whether you need one. But if your doctor takes too long to make that determination, your baby might be left without oxygen long enough to cause brain damage. You also may be at risk of ruptured membranes and other consequences.
Surgical Mistakes
Just like with any surgery, there’s a possibility that your doctor may make a mistake during a C-section. These mistakes can range from minor to life-threatening.
Are You the Victim of a C-Section Injury in Florida?
If your doctors determine that you need a C-section to protect your health or the health of your baby, it’s their responsibility to make sure you receive proper care. Even something that seems like a small error at the time can have devastating health consequences for you and your baby, and sometimes, those consequences are lifelong.
If you or your baby are struggling because of a birth injury, you shouldn’t be the one required to pay the associated medical bills. At Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we believe that holding negligent doctors and other medical staff members accountable is one of the most important things we do.
If we take your case, our attorneys will fight tirelessly to get justice for you and your family. Contact us or stop by our Miami office to schedule a free case review today at (305) 937-0191.