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Prolonged Labor Complication

Have you experienced complications due to a prolonged labor? Has your baby experienced injuries? Are your injuries or your babies injuries due to the negligence of your doctor or medical staff? If so, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries or the injuries of your baby. In order to claim compensation, you will need access to an aggressive personal injury or malpractice lawyer who specializes in prolonged labor complications.

If you are suffering from injuries or your baby is suffering from a preventable illness/injuries, contact Anzalone Law Firm PLLC, at: 603.548.3797 for a free consultation. We want to help you.

What is Prolonged Labor Exactly?

A normal pregnancy labor begins when a mother’s uterine walls contractions and the cervix becomes dilated at more than 4 cm. The labor process progresses at a slow pace. The cervix should dilate at a rate of 1.2 cm per hour - no less.

When a mother experiences a slower rate she may experience what is known as arrest of labor. This is when there is no progress for approximately two hours.

Prolonged labor is more common in a first pregnancy and in women over the age of 35 years. However, prolonged labor can happen to any mother regardless of age if it is a result of a doctors mistake.

Some doctors claim that prolonged labor happens following 8-24 hours of the first and second stages of labor. However, there have been studies that show that prolonged labor can happen during the first and second stages of labor more than 20 hours for first pregnancies and more than 14 hours for mothers who have had children previously.

Here are two common causes of a prolonged labor.

Cephalopelvic Disproportion:

Cephalopelvic Disproportion also referred to as CPD is when a baby is born in an abnormal position that will prevent him/her from anything through the mothers pelvis during birth.

CPD is also when a baby’s head is larger than the mother’s birth canal. Here are some courses of CPD.

There are varying causes of CPD. Mother diagnosed with just gestational diabetes can cause a baby to be born abnormally large. If a doctor misdiagnosis a mother’s gestational diabetes, and a mother experiences CPD, the mother has a right to sue her obstetrician, physician or medical facility.

Another type of condition that could contribute to prolonged labor includes a babies body or head that is too large, which causes complications during the birthing process. This condition may cause fluid in the baby’s brain, which may lead to swelling and preterm pregnancy.

Excessive Painkillers and Anesthesia

An anesthesiologist who administers too much anesthesia or a physician who administers an excessive amount of painkillers, this can also contribute to prolonged labor.

Fetal Malpresentations

Examples of abnormal positions of babies during the birthing process includes: a face presentation (the baby’s face exits the birth canal first), brow position or the baby’s head is tilted toward his/her shoulder. All of these positions prevents the babies head from exiting birth canal first.

What is considered a normal birthing position? The longitudinal position is considered normal for baby. A longitudinal position is when baby’s spine aligned with the mother’s spine.

The baby is in a ‘flexed’ position. The chin gently touches the chest while the legs and arms are flexed in front - facing the mother’s back. The flexed position is ideal because it calls for a smooth delivery.

If you’re suffering from an injury contact our malpractice attorneys today for a no–obligation consultation.

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