Arizona parents who are expecting a child may wish to examine their healthcare provider’s safety protocols for delivery methods. A report in the Huffington Post indicates that four different hospital groups had initiated basic safety programs that showed a vast reduction in the frequency of birth injuries and a correlative drop in malpractice actions undertaken because of them. These findings suggest that such protocols had a major impact on the potential well-being of mother and child, both during and after birth.
Among the safety measures the report cited were improved communication and the use of simulation-based training to teach medical personnel how to respond properly to possible problems or dangers to the mother or child presenting during childbirth. An institutional reluctance to undertake Caesarian section procedures is also credited with reducing birth injuries as the procedure tends to be more traumatic to both the baby and mother but has nonetheless become more popular among providers in the last several decades.
The results of these more comprehensive training programs has been a steep reduction in the number and type of problems associated with childbirth, including birth injury and doctor error. However, these protocols have not been universally adopted, with the rate of Caesarian section varying from 7 to 70 percent depending on the provider. The American Congress of Gynecologists noted that birthing practice guidelines adoption is generally at the provider’s discretion.
In a case where doctor error results in injury to the mother or child before or during childbirth, an attorney may elect to examine the doctor’s safety and success record as well as the protocols of the institution where the birth occurred. If evidence of misdiagnosis or inappropriate treatment is present, the attorney might issue a formal request for compensation for injuries suffered by the mother or child to provide ongoing necessary care.