When a woman is past her due date, her obstetrician may decide to induce labor to avoid delaying the birth any longer. When childbirth is delayed, both mother and child can face certain risks. Not only can the unborn baby can grow too large, it can experience distress, which can lead to serious complications. Other times, a doctor may order a patient to be induced in the case that an epidural has slowed or stalled labor. Epidurals are pain-relieving drugs given to women in labor, but they can sometimes impede the labor process.

Side Effects

Complications can always arise during labor, but when medications are utilized, the risk of complications increase. There are multiple types of medications used to manually initiate labor in women during pregnancy. One of the most common and well-known labor-inducing medication is called Pitocin. Pitocin, along with all other types of labor inducing drugs, may cause side-effects in both mother and child. Common side effects for mothers may include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and painful contractions. For infants, they may cause a slowed or irregular heartbeat, bleeding in the eye, and even seizures. Some side effects can be serious, but most go away as the medication wears off in the bloodstream.

Birth Injuries

As for birth injuries, they can occur when mistakes are made during the labor or delivery process, especially during unexpected complications, such as breaches, limited oxygen, and more. Doctors may use medical instruments like forceps or vacuums to dislodge or re-position an infant during labor. Improper technique or mistakes while handling such situations can cause harm to the infant, including bruises, orthopedic injuries, and Brachial Plexus damage. In this case, a woman and her child would have rights to any losses or damaged suffered as a result.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to discuss your personal injury claim in Indianapolis, Indiana. We are seasoned accident attorneys who offer free initial consultations and never collect lawyer fees unless we prevail for you. Call 317-881-2700 to schedule an appointment with an experienced Indianapolis personal injury lawyer, today.