Uterine Rupture & Birth Injuries

Have you suffered serious complications or a birth injury due to a uterine rupture while at a Texas hospital?

If your baby suffered a serious birth injury following a ruptured uterus, call our Dallas birth injury attorneys at (214) 651-6100 for free information on how we can help.

The uterus is informally known as the baby’s home during the 9-month period that it takes to develop into a human being. This is an oxygen-rich environment that’s full of nutrients, the baby’s own waste, and amniotic fluid. This environment must maintain homeostasis at all times in order for the baby to be kept alive and healthy.

Uterine rupture can be defined as any condition that compromises the integrity of the uterus via a tear in the myometrial wall. This condition is so dangerous that it often causes the death of either the mother or the baby or severe developmental issues such as cerebral palsy or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Uterine rupture mainly occurs during active labor and, as such, should be monitored and detected by medical professionals. Failing to monitor both the mother and baby’s vital signs during delivery can lead to prolonged hypoxia, resulting in brain damage or wrongful death.

Risk Factors for Uterine Rupture

1. Inducing labor with drugs such as Pitocin or prostaglandins can cause abnormally strong contractions, which may lead to tears in the uterus
2. Uterine scar tissue due to things like fibroids or cancer surgery
3. Women who have had many previous births, especially if they were done via cesarean section, are at a higher risk of experiencing uterine rupture
4. Abusing drugs such as cocaine can have a detrimental effect on uterine integrity
5. Using tools such as forceps and clamps during delivery
6. Multiple fetuses or too much amniotic fluid leading to a distended uterus
7. Uterine abnormalities of a genetic origin

Pre-labor screenings are important as they help single out any of the risks we’ve mentioned above. Failure to carry out these screenings can be looked at as medical negligence, making it possible to pursue a birth injury lawsuit against the hospital or medical doctor.

Uterine ruptures are so dangerous that it’s important for doctors to act fast and save the lives of both the mother and baby. Once there’s a tear, the baby starts to lose oxygen in the womb, potentially leading to infant brain damage and organ failure. In cases of a complete rupture, the baby may move into the abdominal cavity, forcing doctors to perform emergency surgery on the mother.

Some of the signs of uterine rupture include heavy bleeding, acute pain between labor contractions, the baby receding back into the uterus during birth, as well as shock and loss of consciousness on the mother’s part. Nurses should also be monitoring fetal distress signals at all times in order to detect abnormalities such as fetal bradycardia.

How a Birth Injury Lawyer Can Help

Birth injuries often lead to chronic issues and developmental challenges, which may require physical therapy, mobility devices, a caregiver, and even multiple surgeries. If this birth injury could (and should) have been avoided, why should your family suffer this financial burden?

If the hospital caused (or failed to timely notice) a ruptured uterus which then led to serious injuries to your newborn child, you have the legal right to discover exactly what went wrong. Our Texas uterine rupture lawyers have considerable experience with these types of cases and can conduct an independent investigation on your behalf in order to discover exactly what led to your child's injury, all at no out-of-pocket charge to you.

If we feel that you have a valid case, we can pursue a medical malpractice claim in order to recover the compensation that your child will need over the course of his or her lifetime, and we will never ask for a penny from you in order to do this. We work on contingency, meaning that we only take attorney's fees if we win you and your family money. If we fail to win your case, you owe us nothing. Please get in touch with us today at (214) 651-6100 for your free confidential consultation, and we'll explain the legal options available to you and your family moving forward.