Are Doctors Making the Best Decisions for Mothers?

Every birth is different, and should be treated accordingly. Some births are completely incident-free and others pose more trouble for the mother and her newborn baby. Physicians generally reserve Cesarean sections for those births where a vaginal birth would put the mother or child in some kind of danger. However, according to a recent article, some physicians may not be making that decision with the best interests of their client in mind.

According to the article, physicians are making the birth decision for mothers because it is the “legally safe” option. This is especially the case for Vaginal Births After C-Sections, or VBACs, as they are known in the medical field. A VBAC “avoids major abdominal surgery, lowers a woman’s risk of hemorrhage and infection, and shortens postpartum recovery.” However, doctors are ignoring these statistics and urging clients (and sometimes making the decision for their clients) to get a C-Section instead. As the article notes, aside from infringing on the mother’s right to choose how to give birth, it may also come with another set of unintended side effects for the child.

Regardless, most in the medical field agree that there are too many C-sections being performed and that the default should be a vaginal birth. One study shows that a $10,000 decrease in the amount a physician pays in malpractice insurance would result in fewer C-Sections being performed. However, the rising number of C-sections being performed does not correlate with an increase in malpractice suits, leaving a gap in the logic. Regardless, a physician’s fear of a lawsuit seems as thought it should not be his or her primary concern, trumping that of what is best for the individual patient.

Injuries to the Mother or Child During Birth

The idea behind any of these decisions should be to do what is the best for the patient. However, it has become clear that some doctors are not making the decision based on that criteria, but are instead considering what will decrease their legal exposure should something go wrong. However, this practice in itself violates a doctor’s ethics code and may be malpractice on its own.

Have You Been Injured While Giving Birth?

If you have been injured while giving birth, or had a child that was injured during the birthing procedure, you may be entitled to monetary compensation based on the performing doctor’s malpractice. There are myriad rules and regulations that doctors must follow when performing any kind of surgery, including assisting in a birth. For these reasons, the law allows for a victim of malpractice to recover from the negligent doctor, and potentially the medical center or hospital as well. To learn more about the laws governing physician malpractice, and to speak to a dedicated birth injury attorney click here or call (410) 567-0800 to schedule a free initial consultation. There is no risk in calling.