Atlanta Uterine Rupture Attorneys

After Hospital Negligence Injures Your Child, You Can Seek Justice

A uterine rupture that occurs during labor or delivery puts the lives and well-being of both mother and child in grave danger.

It is the presiding doctor’s duty to closely monitor the childbirth for signs of uterine rupture, and take lifesaving measures when it is detected. These measures usually involve ordering an emergency cesarean section surgery to deliver the baby through an incision in the mother’s abdomen, rather than vaginally. If the doctor and other hospital staff fail to adequately monitor the birth and take appropriate action, there may be grounds for a medical malpractice claim.

If you, or a loved one, has been harmed by uterine rupture, it’s worth speaking to a team of husband-and-wife lawyers to see if you have a case. For a free consultation, call Atlanta’s Grant Law Office at (404) 995-3955.

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What Happens During Uterine Rupture?

A uterine rupture occurs when the pressure of labor causes a tear in some or all layers of the uterine wall. This can obstruct the infant’s oxygen supply and cause severe bleeding in the mother. Lack of oxygen during birth can result in complications for the baby, including cerebral palsy, brain damage, seizures, cardio and respiratory issues, and stillbirth. Extreme blood loss from a uterine tear can sometimes lead to the death of the mother. In many cases, uterine rupture can cause a fetus to move into the mother’s abdomen during birth, further complicating the delivery.

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Who Is at Risk for Uterine Rupture?

While it is possible for a woman giving birth for the first time to experience uterine rupture, it is rare. The following are factors that increase the risk of a mother suffering a ruptured uterus:

• Having had a previous cesarean section delivery (this risk increases with every C-section a woman has had).
• Having had any sort of previous uterine surgery, such as surgery to remove fibroids.
• Having had a previous injury to the uterus, such as from a car accident or the improper use of forceps in a past delivery.
• Having had a previous uterine tear or scarring.
• Maternal obesity.
• Grand multiparity (having previously given birth five or more times).
• Pregnancy involving multiple babies (twins, triplets, etc.).
• Prolonged labor involving a larger-than-normal infant.
• The baby is in the breech position, or other type of malpresentation during delivery.
• Cephalopelvic disproportion (the mother’s pelvis is too small to accommodate the baby passing through the birth canal).
• Placental abruption (when the placenta completely or partially separates from the inner-uterine wall during delivery, blocking the baby’s oxygen supply and causing heavy bleeding in the mother).
• History of fetal distress during labor and delivery.
• Having given birth within the last 18 to 24 months.

Doctors can actually cause a uterine rupture by overusing labor-inducing drugs like Pitocin. For a women attempting a VBAC (vaginal birth after a C-section in a previous pregnancy), these drugs are dangerous and should not be used at all.

In addition, the medical team has a duty to properly inform the mother of known risks of uterine rupture during vaginal birth. They also have a duty to take the above factors into account during delivery and to diagnose a uterine rupture in a timely manner. When a uterine rupture is determined, it is also the doctor’s duty to perform a C-section and other necessary medical treatment to avoid injury to the baby or mother. Failure to do so is grounds for a medical malpractice claim.

For a free case evaluation with an experienced Atlanta birth injury attorney about your situation, please call Grant Law Office at (404) 995-3955.

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Additional Information

• Uterine Rupture - Merck Manual
• Pregnancy Complications: Uterine Rupture