When people in San Diego are expecting a child, one of the last things on their mind is the possibility of the baby being injured at birth or there being a stillbirth. These incidents do happen, however. In some cases there is a natural reason for it. However, if the stillbirth might have been prevented or was overtly caused by a negligent nurse or a negligent doctor, the family that suffers the loss will want answers as to why it happened and how it could have been prevented.
Knowing the facts about stillbirth is the first step to understanding how it might have happened. If a baby dies after the 20th week of pregnancy, the child will be referred to as a stillbirth. This occurs approximately once in every 200 pregnancies. There are numerous possible causes for it. Birth defects, umbilical cord issues, placenta problems, health issues with the mother, growth restriction in the womb, a lack of proper nutrition, infections while pregnant, environmental factors and a family history of issues like embolism or thrombosis are all referenced as reasons why there might be a stillbirth.
Certain people are known to be at risk for this to happen. If a mother uses alcohol or drugs, smokes, is obese, is considered too young, as in under 15-years-old, too old, as in over 35-years-old or having had a prior stillbirth can all be indicators of this possibility. While there are many reasons that are not the fault of the medical professionals involved, it is still possible that a doctor might have missed a sign or made a mistake during the delivery process to cause the stillbirth.
It's imperative that the medical records be studied and the facts that were in evidence in the delivery room be examined before simply accepting the stillbirth as an untimely act of nature.
Source: WebMD.com, "Understanding Stillbirth -- the Basics," accessed on Feb. 3, 2015
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