When we think of birth injuries, most people imagine a typical scenario at a hospital birthing center with a team of medical professionals. However, it is important to remember that not everyone chooses to give birth to their children in this manner. In fact, many are reverting to more traditional methods of childbirth, like a home birth. Only about one percent of the population chooses to deliver at home, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the amount of planned home births increased by 29 percent between 2004 and 2009. This means that although it's not the favored method for childbirth, it's still a growing trend that is worth paying attention to. Because of that, it's extremely important to choose the right medical professionals to assist in the at-home delivery; one mistake could be fatal simply because a person is not at the hospital and does not have access to life-saving equipment and resources.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently decided to put together guidelines that they feel should govern home births. They feel that women have the right to choose how and where they want to give birth, so their guidelines are geared toward newborn care rather than the actual home birth. They believe there should be standards for how newborns are cared for, regardless of where the birth happens.
Even if you decided on a home birth and your baby was injured during labor, there was still a certain standard of care that may not have been met. Some injuries are unavoidable, but some are because of a medical professional's negligence. If you feel that your child's birth injury was the result of medical malpractice, contact Girards Law for a free consultation at 888-897-2762.