Minnesota Preeclampsia Birth Injury Lawyer
Expectant women can suffer from a number of complications and conditions, and preeclampsia is a very common one. Preeclampsia is not usually preventable. Still, obstetrical staff and physicians must know how to identify when a woman is at risk for it. Once it develops, physicians must also take certain steps to ensure the condition does not worsen, and that the woman and her child are not injured as a result.
If you or your child has been harmed because you were not treated for this condition, you may have a valid medical malpractice claim. Our Minnesota preeclampsia birth injury lawyer can advise you of your legal rights.
What is Preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia occurs when a pregnant woman suffers from high blood pressure. However, preeclampsia can also occur after pregnancy, when a woman suffers from high blood pressure in the first six weeks after the birth. Doctors can usually identify when a woman suffers from preeclampsia after a blood pressure reading, or when protein is found in the woman’s urine. Many people are familiar with high blood pressure and so, they do not believe preeclampsia is a serious condition. Unfortunately, that is not the case. In fact, preeclampsia is sometimes life-threatening.
Preeclampsia is a very serious complication of pregnancy that is also extremely common. As many as eight percent of expectant women suffer from the condition. It is also the leading cause of death in women who are expecting a baby. This complication is also very serious for children. When a woman experiences preeclampsia during her pregnancy, the child is at risk of death until the age of five.
Healthcare professionals should always take preeclampsia very seriously. When they do not and they fail to diagnose or treat it properly, it can result in the most serious harm to mother and child.
Signs of Preeclampsia
Doctors are responsible for understanding the signs of preeclampsia so they can treat it in a timely manner. The most common symptoms are as follows:
- Shoulder pain
- Upper abdominal pain
- Lower back pain
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Sudden weight gain
- Blurry vision
- Swelling, particularly in the hands and face
It is critical for expectant women to also look for the signs of preeclampsia so they can tell their doctor of their concerns as soon as possible. Sometimes though, preeclampsia does not present any symptoms. In some cases, the only way to detect the condition is through a urine test or by taking the woman’s blood pressure. Urine tests can identify when protein is in a woman’s urine, which is one of the biggest signs of the condition. After diagnosing the complication, pregnant women should be placed on bed rest or admitted to a hospital so she can receive immediate treatment if the condition becomes worse.
Call Our Preeclampsia Birth Injury Lawyer in Minnesota Today
Preeclampsia is a much more serious condition than people think. If you experience it during pregnancy and you or your baby was injured as a result, our Minnesota preeclampsia birth injury lawyer can help. At Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC, we are dedicated to helping families who were victims of medical malpractice and we want to help you, too. Call us today or contact us online to schedule a free consultation and to learn more about your legal rights.
