Syracuse Medical Malpractice Lawyer Blog
Syracuse birth injury lawyer Michael A. Bottar, Esq., an attorney with Bottar Law, PLLC, a team of New York cerebral palsy attorneys, reports that the findings of a new study suggest that children born at night are at greater risk for being diagnosed with “neonatal encephalopathy,”
“Neonatal encephalopathy is a rare brain disorder marked by symptoms including abnormal consciousness, tone, reflexes, breathing and feeding. It can lead to cerebral palsy or epilepsy,” said Bottar. According to a study published in the November edition of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, babies born between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. were 22% more likely to experience a brain problem. The study examined more than 2,000,000 births over a period of 14 years.
Prior studies have linked birth injuries to night time deliveries, with some suggesting that medical residents (i.e., new doctors), tired obstetricians, and understaffed hospital labor and delivery units may contribute to New York labor and delivery complications, including fetal distress, low APGAR scores from hypoxia and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, which may form the basis of a New York birth injury lawsuit seeking compensation for permanent disability, such as cerebral palsy or persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN).
Conditions like cerebral palsy and PPHN typically are caused by an injury to the infant’s brain that can occur before, during, or shortly after birth. When a baby’s brain does not receive enough oxygen, it can sustain permanent damage that can lead to seizures, global developmental delays, cognitive impairment, loss of vision, and other life-long disabilities.
The Bottar Law, PLLC legal team has decades of experience investigating, prosecuting and resolving birth injury cases involving obstetrician errors, nursing negligence and hospital mistakes. To discuss you case or concerns, contact us today at (833) 268-8277 or by email at info@bottarleone.com.