Chicago Birth Asphyxia Attorney
New parents should never have to fear that a healthcare provider’s error will result in their baby sustaining a serious injury as a result of limited oxygen and blood flow to the baby’s brain. Yet birth asphyxia can happen during and immediately following childbirth. While birth asphyxia can sometimes result from causes unrelated to medical negligence, it is important to have an experienced Chicago birth asphyxia attorney assess your case to determine whether you may be eligible to file a birth injury claim.
What is Birth Asphyxia in Chicago?
Birth asphyxia, which can also be known as perinatal asphyxia, “results from an inadequate intake of oxygen by the baby during the birth process,” according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Perinatal asphyxia can happen before labor and delivery, during childbirth, or just after the newborn is born. As Johns Hopkins Medicine explains, “decreased oxygen intake can result in chemical changes in the baby’s body that include hypoxemia, or low levels of oxygen in the blood, and acidosis, in which too much acid builds up.”
In some cases, birth asphyxia does not cause permanent injuries, according to Seattle Children’s Hospital. Indeed, when a newborn suffers from either mild or moderate perinatal asphyxia, a full recovery can be possible. However, in many circumstances, permanent injuries can occur. Permanent injuries can affect various organs in a newborn, including the brain, heart, lungs, and kidneys. Some of the factors that influence whether or not a baby can recover from birth asphyxia include but are not limited to the following:
- How quickly a healthcare provider applies the right treatment;
- How long the baby goes with limited oxygen; and
- How low the level of oxygen gets.
Chicago Symptoms of Birth Asphyxia
What are the symptoms of birth asphyxia that a healthcare provider should recognize in order to treat a baby quickly and effectively? According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the following are the most common symptoms of perinatal asphyxia:
- Abnormal fetal heart rate before birth;
- Low pH levels before birth;
- Poor skin color at birth;
- Low heart rate at birth;
- Weak muscle tone at birth;
- Weak breathing at birth, or gasping; and/or
- Amniotic fluid stained with meconium.
When a healthcare provider fails to recognize the signs of asphyxia, that healthcare provider may be liable for your baby’s injuries.
Chicago Birth Asphyxia Claim Statute of Limitations
Most birth asphyxia claims must be filed within eight years from the date of the injury under Illinois law. If you get in touch with one of our birth asphyxia lawyers in Chicago, we can provide you with more information about the timeline for your birth asphyxia claim.
Contact Our Chicago Birth Asphyxia Attorneys
If your baby suffered birth asphyxia and has sustained a permanent injury, it is critical to seek advice from an experienced Chicago birth asphyxia lawyer as soon as possible. Do not hesitate to get in touch with our firm to learn more about how we can assist with your birth injury claim. Contact Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC today for more information.
