New York Abrupted Placenta Lawyers

During a pregnancy, the mother's body grows a special organ called the placenta, which is attached to the uterus. Because it brings blood and nutrients to the baby and carries away waste, the placenta is vital to the baby's survival. When the placenta is abrupted -- partially or fully separated from the uterus after 20 weeks -- it's a serious pregnancy complication that threatens the lives and health of both the child and the mother. Doctors must take immediate action to avoid devastating birth injuries.

Placental Abruption Can Cause Birth Injuries

Unfortunately, abrupted placentas aren't always obvious. If the separation is high in the uterus or limited, the mother may see no signs at all. But more often, the mother will notice one or more of these symptoms:

• Mild to severe vaginal bleeding
• Cramps
• Uterine tenderness, abdominal pain or unusual back pain
• Nausea
• Broken water with blood in it
• Premature labor
• A contraction that doesn't end
• Not as much movement as usual from the baby
• Signs of shock from the mother

Mothers should call for medical help as soon as possible if they believe they have symptoms of an abrupted placenta, because it can have permanent effects on both the baby and the mother if it goes unaddressed. Damage to the placenta can starve the baby of oxygen and nutrients, leading to underdevelopment, premature delivery, brain damage, low blood pressure or even death. For the mother, a placental abruption can lead to severe pain and significant blood loss, which in turn can lead to shock, blood clotting problems, uterine scarring, a hysterectomy or death.

Causes of an Abrupted Placenta

Nobody knows what causes a placental abruption, but scientists do know some of the traits that put a mother at higher risk of one, including:

• A physical trauma during pregnancy, like a New York car accident
• An abrupted placenta in one or more previous pregnancies
• Too much amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios)
• A blood clotting disorder
• Uterine fibroids or other abnormalities
• Complications earlier in the pregnancy
• Hypertension (high blood pressure) or preeclampsia
• Smoking, drinking alcohol or using cocaine during pregnancy
• Many previous pregnancies
• Age over 35

Standard Treatment for Abruptio Placentae

When a pregnant woman complains of symptoms of an abrupted placenta, doctors should do a complete examination of the baby, including fetal heart rate monitoring and an ultrasound. In cases where the baby is near term, doctors will probably deliver the baby immediately, in order to avoid the potential serious complications of an abrupted placenta. Mothers are likely to get a caesarian section unless there's a risk of shock from blood loss, or doctors think vaginal delivery is safe. If the baby isn't ready to be born, doctors may keep the mother in the hospital for monitoring or put her on bed rest.

Unfortunately, doctors don't always provide the level of care that they should. When they make mistakes with a mother with placental abruption, the result can be a severe birth injury to the baby, the mother or both. This type of negligent medical decision-making is medical malpractice. If your family suffered a birth injury as a result of substandard medical care, you have the right to hold the negligent professionals legally responsible for the results with a birth injury claim.

Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro can help. We are a New York City personal injury law firm with a special expertise in birth injury and NY medical malpractice claims. Since forming our firm in 1990, we've won tens of millions of dollars for babies injured by negligent medical care. That money can help families get their children the medical treatment and therapies that they need; place them in special schools or hire caregivers to help them at home; and, if necessary, help support an adult child who can't work because of his or her injuries.

If you believe someone you care about was hurt or killed because of careless medical treatment for an abrupted placenta, call the New York abrupted placenta attorneys at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro today for a free consultation.