Prenatal Steroids Lower Risk Of Birth Injuries In Premature Infants
A recent premature birth study released in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reveals that giving steroids to women at risk for delivering preterm increases an infant’s overall chance of survival and reduces a baby’s risk of birth complications, including brain injuries. Babies born earlier than 37 weeks into gestation are considered premature and often face considerable health risks.
In some cases, a birth injury is related to a preterm delivery and may be caused by the negligence of a health care provider. In some instances, known factors may exist that predict a premature baby and may be resolved by taking specific actions. Failing to take those actions or misdiagnosing certain symptoms can lead to an unnecessary premature birth. Further, in situations where a premature birth cannot be avoided, taking certain actions following the delivery of an infant can lead to a better long-term result. In both of these situations if medical personnel fails to follow the accepted standard of care, an infant may suffer unnecessary harm and the health care professional may be found liable for medical malpractice. If you believe your infant suffered a birth injury as the result of a physician mistake, it is important to consult with an experienced California medical malpractice lawyer to evaluate your premature delivery injury claim.
The recent study provides good news for those whose risk is assessed early on for pre-term delivery. Although guidelines currently exist for women at risk for delivering from 24-34 weeks, little information has been available for those who show signs of labor before week 24. The current study now provides that “When given as early as 23 weeks, prenatal or antenatal steroids reduce an infant’s risk of death and important developmental issues.” As stated by an author of the study “Thee is a huge potential to increase the use of prenatal steroids…Mothers need to know that there is a lot that physicians can do to improve the outcome for these babies.”
In fact, the research concluded that when mothers are given steroid during they 22nd to 23rd week of pregnancy, infant mortality risk decreased by more than 33%, and the risk of birth injuries such as cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing impairment and other neurodevelopmental delays decreased by 20%.
This prenatal study shows that definitive steps can and should be taken to decrease the risk of birth injury in premature infants.
Although many risks exist during pregnancy, labor and delivery, physicians and other health care professionals can take certain steps to reduce the potential for serious harm. The failure to follow established protocols or diagnose certain risks may constitute a medical mistake. Where an infant suffers a birth trauma as a result of this error, the health care professional may be found responsible for medical negligence and by required to pay compensation for a lifetime of care. For more information, or if you believe your child has suffered a birth injury as the result of medical malpractice, contact the knowledgeable California birth injury lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for a free, confidential consultation.
