When you went to your first prenatal visit, you likely talked to your New York obstetrician about your current health condition. A nurse and your doctor may have measured your baby or, perhaps, let you see your little one on a sonogram screen. Throughout the approximately nine months of pregnancy you will navigate, such discussions, tests and examinations will take place often.
In fact, the closer you get to your due date, the more visits you may have, especially if your doctor considers you high risk for premature labor or other adverse pregnancy issues. An obstetrician is trained to recognize signs of preterm labor and to determine a best course of action to keep mother and baby as safe as possible. If your doctor or another medical team member is negligent, you or your child might suffer injury.
Causes of preterm labor
Various maternal factors may affect your ability to carry your baby to term. Medically speaking, preterm is any labor onset occurring before 37 weeks gestation. The following issues can prompt labor to begin too soon:
- If you had another baby in the recent past
- A maternal or fetal infection
- Multiple births
- Advanced maternal age
- Gestational diabetes
- Smoking cigarettes during pregnancy
- A cervix that is too short
No two pregnancies are exactly the same. Labor and delivery are often unpredictable, and experienced obstetricians often have to make split-second decisions to save the life of a mother or her baby. This is why it is critical that you stay closely connected with your medical team during pregnancy and let your doctor know if any problems arise.
Three types of preterm labor and birth
As mentioned earlier, the labor and delivery process is typically unpredictable. The following lists situations that could result in a preterm birth:
- Sac of water holding the baby breaks
- Mother starts to feel contractions in regular intervals
- Obstetrician orders C-section
Entering labor and delivery before 37 weeks poses many challenges for mother, baby and, in some cases, the entire medical team. An experienced and competent doctor can help mom and baby secure as positive an outcome as possible.
What if that doesn’t happen?
You have a right to reasonably expect that your OB and medical team not only know what they’re doing but will provide as high-quality care as possible through industry regulations and accepted safety standards.
New York parents of children who suffer birth injuries because of medical negligence have recourse through the civil justice system to seek financial recovery for their losses, which, if litigation is successful, can help offset expenses associated with the incident.