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A healthy, full-term, or near-full-term baby should have a fetal heart rate between 110 and 160 beats per minute. While this may fluctuate a bit between contractions and throughout the labor and delivery process, a significant increase (tachycardia), or decrease (bradycardia) is a sign of fetal distress. Proper fetal monitoring during labor and delivery should…

Despite having one of the most advanced healthcare systems in the world, the U.S. currently has the highest pregnancy-related death rate among developed nations. Maternal deaths rose 40% in 2021 from the previous year. Black women are particularly vulnerable, dying at significantly higher rates than other groups. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services…

The birth of a child should be a time of joy, but when complications arise and birth injuries occur, it can lead to a heart-wrenching and challenging situation for families. In such cases, parents may find themselves facing not only emotional turmoil but also the daunting task of understanding their legal rights. This is where…

Over 25,000 newborns suffer injuries at birth each year, often through the negligence of medical personnel. The experience is devastating for parents who discover their child may need life-long care while simultaneously facing huge medical bills. Seeking compensation for birth-related injuries can improve the quality of life for both the baby and the family. The…

As lawyers who concentrate in birth injury cases and defective products litigation, we were deeply distressed to learn that some of Abbott Laboratories’ now-recalled nutritional powdered baby formula for pre-term babies allegedly led to necrotizing enterocolitis, a potentially deadly digestive condition. The FDA issued a warning to consumers not to use the powdered formula produced…

Erb’s palsy, also known as brachial plexus injury (BPI), is a type of birth injury that can frighten parents. Affecting approximately two out of every 1,000 babies, the infant’s arm falls limply from the shoulder due to a temporary or permanent weakness or paralysis. While some babies recover in a few months with therapy and…

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of blindness in premature infants. If recognized and treated early, severe vision loss or total blindness is preventable. Vigilance is required from not only pediatric ophthalmologists but also the neonatologists and neonatal nurses to recognize the warning signs based upon frequent examinations and close monitoring. Failures in…

Brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI), the leading cause of infants’ upper extremity paralysis, is a condition affecting the nerves responsible for muscle control and sensation in the shoulder, arm, forearm, hand and fingers. It is the single most common birth injury and occurs in 1 to 3 per 1,000 births. Infants who have mild nerve…