Medical Malpractice and Pregnancy

Medical malpractice and Pregnancy: Medical malpractice can be involved in the care of a pregnancy, and particularly with the actual process of childbirth (see malpractice and childbirth). The risks to mother and fetus during pregnancy and childbirth can be high, and the consequences of some medical failing can be severe, including fetal death, stillbirth, maternal death, birth injury, or other injuries. Allegations of medical malpractice involving the actual pregnancy (rather than the act of childbirth) may include mismanagement of the pregnancy (e.g. delay in getting a Cesarian section for a fetus in distress) or failure to detect or treat dangerous situations in pregnancy (e.g. gestational hypertension, eclampsia, gestational diabetes, etc.). In one study, 12.6% of medical malpractice cases involving birth injury involved principal allegations of mismanagement of the pregnancy (Suing for Medical Malpractice, Sloan et al, 1993). Allegations of mismanagement of labor or other failings during childbirth are more common than malpractice directly involving care during the pregnancy.

Medical errors and malpractice for Pregnancy: medical news summaries for Pregnancy: The following medical news items are relevant to the medical errors (including malpractice) for Pregnancy:

• 70% of Maryland’s obstetricians and gynecologists sued at least once
• Abortion practitioner likely to permanently lose his medical licence
• Anti-retroviral drug trial may have led to pregnant woman’s death
• Arbitration may prevent unnecessary malpractice court cases
• Cesarean birth ends in tragedy after medical mistake
• Doctor found not negligent in $1.5 million lawsuit
• Family set to receive $10 million after bungled birth leaves daughter severely handicapped
• Half of $118,000 settlement over baby’s death eaten up by costs
• Home birth may result in a malpractice suit
• King/Drew hospital allegedly suffers from serious patient safety problems
• Lawyers to appeal $10 million malpractice case
• Malpractice case fails
• Malpractice lawsuit over cause of cerebral palsy nearly finished
• Man seeks $1.5 million damages over wife and unborn child’s death
• Man seeks $1.5 million damages over wife and unborn child’s death_1
• Man unable to have children wins a 30,000 pound settlement
• Mother receives $8,269.50 for allegedly botched birth leading to brain damage
• Physician has license suspended following the investigation of four abortion cases
• Settlement reached in case where stillborn baby disposed of as hospital waste
• Stillborn delivery leads to $375,000 settlement
• Woman has baby after being given antidepressants instead of contraception

Medical articles on symptoms: These general reference articles may be of interest:

• Medical Malpractice
• Medical Malpractice Overview
• Symptoms and Medical Malpractice
• More Medical Malpractice Information
• List of Medical Malpractice Articles
• Medical Malpractice Dictionary

Medical Tools & Articles:

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