New York Umbilical Cord Entrapment Lawyers

Umbilical cord entrapment (also called a nuchal cord) is when an umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck just before or during birth. This is very common, occurring in one fourth to one third of births. In most cases, it doesn't pose a threat to the baby, who doesn't use his or her lungs in utero, but gets oxygen through the cord itself. However, if the cord becomes wrapped so tightly that oxygen and nutrients can't pass through it to the baby, he or she is at risk of death, brain damage and other very serious birth injuries.

Detecting and Treating Umbilical Cord Entrapment

When the baby is small, he or she can move around freely inside the womb, wrapping and unwrapping the umbilical cord. As the baby gets bigger, there's less space for the cord, and around the neck is one of the few places it can go. This is especially true if the cord is short, or the mother suffers from an unusually small amount of amniotic fluid (oligohydramnios).

Before a birth, doctors can detect umbilical cord entrapment with an ultrasound. They should also routinely check for it during labor and birth. If the baby's heartbeat is normal, the medical team will probably allow a normal labor, then simply slip the cord over the baby's head during the birth. If the cord is too tight for this, doctors can cut it during the labor, then quickly finish the delivery so the baby will be able to start breathing air.

But if an ultrasound shows a tightly wrapped umbilical cord and the baby's heartbeat is not normal, doctors should move quickly to deliver the baby as soon as possible in order to avoid a death or serious birth injury. A slow, fast or irregular heartbeat is a sign that the cord is pulled too tightly to allow a free flow of oxygen to the baby's brain. This might also be true if the mother complains of other signs of fetal distress, like a baby that has suddenly stopped moving normally. Usually, the mother will have an emergency caesarian section. Left untreated, serious umbilical cord entrapment can cause:

• Death in utero or stillbirth
• Death shortly after birth
• Cerebral palsy
• Mental retardation
• Developmental problems

Umbilical Cord Birth Injury

Umbilical cord entrapment is an obstetric emergency that requires quick action to avoid permanent severe brain damage to the child. If doctors attending a birth don't take that action, or make such poor decisions that they don't meet the accepted standard of care, they may have committed medical malpractice. If the result is death or lifelong, irreversible brain damage to the baby, that child and his or her parents have the right to hold the negligent doctors responsible by filing a New York birth injury claim.

The New York umbilical cord entrapment lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro can help. We are an experienced New York personal injury law firm that specializes in helping victims of birth injuries and medical malpractice. After decades of representing victims of serious accidents, we know that injuries aren't just physically and emotionally devastating -- they're also financially destructive. A baby born with brain damage may need years of physical therapy, surgeries or treatments; help with the tasks of daily living; or special schools. If the damage is severe, the child or a parent may not be able to work for a living. That's why we're proud to be able to say we've helped win millions for children with birth injuries and their families, including $3.9 million for a boy who suffered mild brain damage after doctors failed to perform an emergency caesarian section.

If your family suffered a birth injury after umbilical cord entrapment, call the experienced, aggressive New York birth injury lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro today for a free consultation.

Contact Us

1-212-ACCIDENT
(1-212-222-4336)
420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 2750
New York, NY 10170
Voice: (212) 986-7353 • Fax: (212) 953-4308
E-Mail: wrs@wrslaw.com

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420 Lexington Avenue
Suite 2750
New York, NY 10170

Telephone: 212-986-7353
Fax: 212-953-4308
E-mail: wrs@wrslaw.com