Gestational diabetes—high blood sugar levels during pregnancy—affects up to ten percent of all pregnant women and is typically void of any symptoms, which can lead to big problems for you and your baby. If your obstetrician doesn’t conduct the proper tests to diagnose elevated blood sugar levels, you could unknowingly have the condition.
Unfortunately, even the best doctors and midwives working out of places like the DePaul Center for Birth and Sentara Norfolk General Hospital can make mistakes, which can affect the health of both you and your unborn child. If you did not receive a glucose-screening test between weeks 24 and 28 and gave birth to a baby whose birth weight exceeded 9 pounds 15 ounces, you may have had undiagnosed gestational diabetes.
Undetected Gestational Diabetes Can Lead to a Dangerous Delivery
High blood sugar levels that are not addressed can cause serious problems that can harm you and your baby now and in the future. These issues can increase delivery risks and also create a stressful start to the child’s life. These risks include:
- Macrosomia. Babies can grow too large in the womb when gestational diabetes isn’t treated. As a result, injuries to the baby’s shoulders and head, as well as nerves in the area during delivery are possible. A large baby also increases the chances of having a cesarean section or other assistance during delivery, such as forceps or a vacuum, which is often harder on the mother and the baby.
- Low blood sugar after birth. Your baby may experience a dramatic drop in his blood sugar levels once born since he is removed from the high-sugar environment. Treatment for the low levels often includes giving a sugar solution in the baby’s vein.
- Jaundice. Newborns born from mothers with undiagnosed gestational diabetes are also at risk for experiencing jaundice after delivery. Jaundice is a liver problem that can cause their skin and the whites of their eyes to turn yellow.
We Want to Help
Your doctor had a responsibility to take excellent care of you and your child. Since he didn’t, your newborn has suffered from injuries that could affect him for the rest of his life. These injuries result in extra stress during what should be a joyous occasion, and thousands of dollars in medical bills.
The legal team of Tavss Fletcher wants to help you seek the justice you deserve. Contact us today to learn how we may be able to help you receive financial compensation that can pay for your medical bills now, and those that may come about in the future because of the undiagnosed condition.
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