A mother may be unable to understand exactly what’s happening or the risks and benefits of each type of medicine offered to her. Medications may be provided to help move the birthing process along, but if these are not administered safely, injuries or even death can occur.

Types of Medication Errors

Some of the most common types of medication errors can be prevented simply by paying attention. Many different drugs are administered to women over the course of pregnancy, or labor/delivery. These can be beneficial when given in the right dosage. Some can even end preterm labor contractions or speed up the labor process when required. However, when incorrect doses are provided, the mother may suffer fatal injuries, and the child could suffer from birth injuries and medical costs that should be addressed by an Ohio medical malpractice lawyer.

One of the injuries leading to fatal accidents in labor or delivery rooms has to do with misuse of Pitocin. Pitocin is given to mothers to induce labor, but it comes with risks as well as benefits.

If too large a dose of Pitocin is administered, it can lead to contractions that happen shorten than 2-3 minutes apart, reducing the ability of the placenta to refresh the oxygen supply for the baby. Since there are not any precise ways to measure the impact that it has on the uterus, use of Pitocin can be unpredictable.

There are fetal problems associated with Pitocin and oxytocin used during the labor and delivery process as well, including neonatal seizures, fetal distress, hypertension, fetal head trauma and neonatal jaundice. The mother is also at risk when Pitocin is used inappropriately in the delivery room. Some of the most common complications linked to Pitocin include the following:

Pitocin should not be used in particular situations in which the mother and the child may be at greater risk of severe injuries including umbilical cord prolapse, unfavorable fetal position, contraindicated vaginal delivery, and surgical or uterine scarring.

Pitocin has been recognized as potentially dangerous according to academic journals and medical research studies. The health of the baby and the mother can be jeopardized when hyperstimulation occurs during the labor process. Appropriate fetal monitoring is necessary and can help to prevent major errors.

If the wrong amount of the drug is given to a woman in labor, her health can be at risk immediately. More often than not, the complications associated with this situation can be from a physician’s negligence.

For a family member struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one in a preventable medication error accident, life may never be the same.