During pregnancy, it is very important for a woman to take care of herself and maintain her health and strength. And while there can be circumstances in which a woman may need to use prescription medications while pregnant, care must be taken regarding the kinds of drugs that are prescribed. Medicine consumed by a mother could cause birth injuries to the child she is carrying.
Recently, researchers at Baylor University Medical Center studied trends pertaining to instances of a condition called “neonatal abstinence syndrome,” which is a drug-withdrawal syndrome experienced by some infants. A newborn can be affected by the syndrome after having been exposed to certain prescription painkillers taken by the mother during pregnancy. Research indicates that incidents of the neonatal abstinence syndrome have increased nearly fourfold since the year 2004.
In another study, researchers discovered that infants who suffered from neonatal abstinence syndrome were more likely to experience seizures, respiratory difficulties and feeding difficulties. Further, babies with the syndrome displayed a higher rate of incidents of low birth weights.
The issues caused by the syndrome, such as seizures and respiratory conditions, could have a long-term impact on a child’s life. Further, parents could be faced with costly medical expenses for care and treatment of the child. This story highlights the fact that doctors must be very careful when issuing prescriptions to their pregnant patients. They should also make sure that their patients understand any possible risks presented by taking a drug.
If your child is experiencing health problems that you believe may have been caused by mistakes in treatment during pregnancy, an Arizona birth injury attorney may be able to offer you help. The attorney could conduct a medical investigation to help you determine how you might attempt to secure compensation.
Source: HealthDay, “More U.S. Newborns Enduring Drug Withdrawal: Study,” Tara Haelle, April 25, 2015