Recent research indicates that childbirth is more likely to cause death to a mother in New York City than ten years ago. The reasons cited by the New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF), which analyzed health data from across all boroughs of the city, are poor health habits (including obesity) and women giving birth later in life.
But some causes of maternal death in childbirth can be prevented in a number of circumstances according to the World Health Organization:
- Severe bleeding after giving birth (in fact, many such deaths occur weeks after the baby is born).
- Infections, particularly if a C-section or episiotomy was performed and the healthcare provider failed to provide proper hygiene or follow-up care.
- Failure to diagnose pre-eclampsia or eclampsia.
When a mother dies or a child suffers severe birth injuries the medical records of the victim need to be reviewed by an attorney and the attorney’s medical experts. A qualified birth injury lawyer in New York will be able to conduct the necessary investigation to determine what went wrong, who was at fault and how to proceed with a childbirth wrongful death lawsuit or a lawsuit on behalf of a child who suffered serious injuries at childbirth.
