FAQs About Preeclampsia and Birth Injuries

If you are currently expecting or planning on expanding your family, you know the importance of the mother’s health during pregnancy. There are many changes in the body, and certain medical conditions may arise that are associated with gestation. One that is concerning and requires special medical attention is preeclampsia. Researchers from the March of Dimes describe preeclampsia as a type of high blood pressure that occurs around the 20th week of pregnancy or thereafter. Besides stressing the heart, it also causes the kidneys, liver, and other organs to not function properly.

Women with preeclampsia can have healthy babies if the condition is diagnosed early and properly treated. However, when healthcare providers make mistakes with treatment, stillbirth or death may occur. These errors may amount to medical malpractice, but keep in mind that you do have rights under Alaska law. It is important to discuss your remedies with an Anchorage medical malpractice lawyer, but answers to frequently asked questions about preeclampsia are useful.

What are the Symptoms of Preeclampsia?

High blood pressure is the primary indicator, and your doctor should check it from the very first prenatal visit. Some signs of preeclampsia that you might notice include:

  • Nausea;
  • Headache;
  • Swelling in the legs, face, and hands; and,
  • Difficulty breathing.

There are also risk factors associated with preeclampsia that your doctor should note, such as previously having it, being pregnant with multiples, and preexisting high blood pressure.

 

How Do Doctors Treat Preeclampsia?

There is no cure for preeclampsia other than giving birth, which is not possible when the fetus is not developed. Therefore, healthcare providers work on other treatment strategies, including:

  • Low-dose aspirin and other medications to lower blood pressure;
  • Anticonvulsant medications that prevent seizures; and,
  • Corticosteroids, which enhance the development of the fetus’ lungs.

The point of promoting the development of the lungs is to prepare the fetus for a potential pre-term delivery if preeclampsia becomes a serious threat in the later months of pregnancy.

 

What Happens When Preeclampsia is Not Treated?

If your physician does not diagnose preeclampsia, despite symptoms and risk factors, the implications are severe. They include:

  • Fetal growth restriction;
  • Pre-term birth;
  • Placental abruption;
  • Damage to organs;
  • Eclampsia, which leads to seizures and coma.

 

Do I Have a Medical Malpractice Case for Preeclampsia?

You may have rights under Alaska law, but you will need to prove that your physician did not comply with the medical standard of care that applied to the situation. The standard is measured by what a doctor with the same training, education, and skill would have provided in terms of treatment. Failure to diagnose preeclampsia could be medical malpractice if another physician would have caught it through accepted medical practices.

An Alaska Medical Malpractice Attorney Can Provide Additional Details

These answers to FAQs about preeclampsia are informative, but you will need legal representation to assist with a birth injuries case. Our team at Power & Power Law is prepared to handle all essential tasks, so please contact us at 907-222-9990 or via our website. We can schedule a no-cost case review at our Anchorage, AK offices.