The danger of failing to diagnose a condition during pregnancy

Preparing to welcome a newborn child into the world can be a joyous and exciting endeavor. During your pregnancy, you, and many other parents-to-be in Delaware, likely consider it essential to take every possible measure to safeguard both your and your child’s health as you count down the months, weeks or days until you hold him or her in your arms.

While there may be certain things you can do to achieve this goal, those monitoring your health during this time may also be responsible for a portion of your well-being. Should a doctor fail to identify and treat any health concerns during your pregnancy, you could encounter a variety of potentially harmful complications.

The risks involved

There may be various health concerns that could arise during your pregnancy, many of which may cause little to no harm if doctors diagnose and treat them in a timely manner. Some of the possible risks of failing to diagnose a condition during pregnancy could include:

• Infections: Failing to identify and treat any maternal infections can be exceedingly harmful as such conditions could create various health concerns, such as oxygen deprivation and brain damage.
• Unexpected complications: Diagnosing the presence of any health concerns could be integral to staving off unexpected complications, and any delays in the treatment of such concerns may increase the risks of injury for you and your child.
• Unnecessary procedures: Delays in diagnosis and treatment of a condition could leave you facing the possibility of having to undergo an emergency operation, and such a procedure could carry various health risks.
• Birth injuries: Complications that stem from medical negligence could increase the risks your child could suffer severe or even permanent birth injuries, such as cerebral palsy.
• Developmental concerns: Such negligence could also cause your child to suffer various other health concerns, some of which may include physical trauma, nerve damage or developmental issues.

As many of the health conditions that result from a failure to diagnose could otherwise be entirely preventable, experiencing harm due to such negligence might prove to be something you find difficult to accept.

What next?

Complications stemming from medical negligence could create various health concerns for you and your child. Along with any physical or emotional trauma involved, any long-term or permanent harm resulting from such an experience may also bring about dire financial hardships. If another party’s negligent actions leave you facing a similar scenario, it could be in your best interests to seek insight on your available legal avenues and guidance through every stage of the process.