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r a pregnant woman, the nine months she carries her baby can seem like an eternity, especially if she is extremely uncomfortable in her third trimester. However, each week of pregnancy is important as a baby forms and grows. If a child is born too early, health problems can arise. Sometimes a baby comes too soon on its own, and sometimes labor needs to be induced because it is medically necessary for the safety of mother and child—but more and more mothers are voluntarily being induced before 40 weeks because they're simply anxious to get their pregnancies over with and to finally meet their baby. This growing trend is alarming because birth injuries from inducing labor can be highly possible if things are not handled correctly by the woman's doctor.

 

The March of Dimes is extremely adamant about healthy babies being born no earlier than 39 weeks. They point out that babies need at least 39 weeks in the womb because important organs still need time to develop, hearing and vision problems are less likely, they're able to reach a healthy weight and they will be able to suck, swallow and stay awake long enough to eat after they are born. Additionally, if a woman schedules an early induction when it's not medically necessarily, there are various problems that can pop up:

 

  • Due dates are not an exact science and can be off by as much as two weeks. If your doctor allows you to be induced and your baby is younger than you were led to believe, it could be born too early and exposed to unnecessary hazards.

 

  • Induction can produce stronger and more frequent contractions, which could ultimately injure the baby during delivery.

 

  • If the induction does not work, you may need to undergo a C-section which is a major surgery. This can expose you to a host of complications and your baby is at a much higher risk of breathing and medical problems than babies born by vaginal birth.

 

The bottom line is that you should not beg your doctor to be induced and your doctor should not give in if it will affect the health and safety of your child. Birth injuries from inducing labor are simply not worth the risk if your baby is safe and health inside your womb—just wait for labor to occur naturally.

 

If your child suffered a birth injury in Texas, Oklahoma, or Arkansas, contact the birth injury attorneys at The Girards Law Firm today for a free consultation at 888.333.9709.