Fighting For Justice And Your Best Interests

Missing signs of preeclampsia could lead to devastating consequences

On Behalf of | May 10, 2022 | Birth Injuries |

Preeclampsia is an extremely common condition among pregnant women. This condition occurs because of a sudden increase in blood pressure because of a high blood volume in the body. It’s possible for preeclampsia to damage a mother’s organs and to lead to serious complications with the birth of the child. In some cases, the lives of the mother and child may both be at risk.

There are a few signs of preeclampsia that medical providers should recognize immediately, especially in women who have passed 20 weeks in their pregnancies. These signs and symptoms may include:

  • Blurry vision
  • Headaches
  • Poor living function
  • Nausea
  • Shortness of breath
  • Edema
  • Pain under the rib cage

These symptoms need to be examined as soon as possible, because with early treatment it may be possible to reverse the condition. There is no cure for preeclampsia, but doctors may place a mother on corticosteroids, anticonvulsants, antihypertensive medications or others to help control their blood pressure.

If the blood pressure remains at 140/90 or higher, then a medical provider may opt to perform a C-section, since a vaginal birth could be risky. The exact delivery method will be determined by the severity of the disease as well as the age of the baby and other considerations.

What happens if preeclampsia goes untreated?

If left untreated, it’s possible that preeclampsia could cause seizures from eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, a placental abruption or other serious birth injuries. Medical providers need to address preeclampsia as soon as it occurs, so there is a much lower risk of these serious complications occurring.

What should you do if you or your child were hurt because of a delayed diagnosis?

If you developed complications leading to injury or your child was injured because of a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of preeclampsia, it’s important that you understand your legal options. This is a very common issues among pregnant women, so it’s unrealistic that it should go unrecognized or untreated.

Whether you had preeclampsia before or after birth, you deserved the best care possible. If your care was lacking, you may have options to help you seek compensation.