Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.

Get Adobe Flash player
Birth injury, youclaim.co.uk

Birth injury lawyer needed after stressful labour

From the very beginning of a pregnancy parents hope that they will not have to request assistance from a birth injury lawyer, but some unfortunate parents have to after their baby is harmed or the mother herself suffers personal injury.

In many situations the hospital staff's actions can result in the mother suffering a birth injury, but one which may not be at the forefront of people's minds is causing the mother great stress before the birth.

It was observed in the 1970s by many different scientists that mothers who experienced great stress before or during labour, suffered a drop in their Estriol levels and a rise in their Cortisol levels.

Estriol is mainly produced by the body during pregnancy and protects mother and baby from complications before and during the birth. A significant drop could put both mother and baby at risk.

Cortisol is a hormone created by everyone when under stress. A small amount of Cortisol won't cause any harm, but large amounts raise blood pressure and in pregnant women can set the babies blood pressure for life. This could mean the baby will suffer from high blood pressure in adulthood.

Raised Cortisol levels during pregnancy or labour have also been found to affect development of the nervous system and could also mean the baby will suffer from depression in later life or have a lower IQ than they would have otherwise had.

If the mother is extremely stressed by thoughts of a natural labour, then an epidural or other type of pain killer may be given to reduce her stress and any risk of causing harm to the unborn child.

Being refused an epidural
Epidurals are never done without good reason, but if a good reason presents itself then medical staff may allow the woman to have one.

There are situations in which the mother will be refused an epidural for a specific medical reason, and these are as follows:

  • Mother is taking certain medication, such as blood thinners.

  • Mother has previously suffered a particular spinal cord injury.

  • Certain deficiencies in the blood might make epidural dangerous.

  • Epidural space cannot be found.

  • Mother is bleeding heavily or suffering from shock.

  • Infection is found on lower back which the needle would have to push through.

  • Occasionally, having a tattoo on the lower back may lead to epidural being refused.

  • Hospital does not have an anaesthetist available at the time.

  • Mother is too far dilated or the second stage of labour has begun.

In most of these situations the mother should have had prior warning at some point during the pregnancy, or at least some days before the due date, that she may be refused an epidural.

If the mother is not warned or there are no reasons for her to be refused an epidural, and yet medical staff do not allow her one when her level of stress calls for it, then the hospital may be found liable of causing the mother undue stress, and she could choose to contact a birth injury lawyer.

Do you need a solicitor?
If you have suffered a birth injury due to stress when an epidural or other pain killer was refused to you without due medical reason, then you could make a compensation claim with a YouClaim solicitor.

You will receive 100% compensation should your claim be successful, because we don't take a cut of your damages settlement.

To see if you are eligible to make a claim, fill in our short online claim form and one of our team will contact you about your case.

Alternatively, if you would like to speak to one of advisers, phone us on 0800 10 757 95.

Can I claim?

Case Studies

Birth injury news