Santa Ana Premature Delivery Injury Lawyer

When a baby arrives too early, the complications can crush a family’s hopes for months and could endanger the child’s future. Recovery from a premature birth is hard enough when a medical team is successful, but sometimes, doctors and healthcare workers may fail both the infant and the mother.

If you have worries or difficulties resulting from your birth experience, call us to talk to a Santa Ana premature delivery injury lawyer. Our malpractice attorneys at Ikuta Hemesath have years of experience with complex birth injury cases and we want to hear your story.

Why Are Premature Infants in Danger?

Pregnancy typically takes 39 to 42 weeks. Birth at 37 weeks or earlier is considered premature. If a baby does not have enough time to grow in utero, their body will not be ready for birth or survival on its own. Low birth weight is often the first and greatest problem for a premature baby, and our Santa Ana legal team knows how this can affect a newborn.

A healthy weight is essential to maintain a baby’s body temperature and energy to combat infection and illness. Most preterm infants in the US are born between 34 and 36 weeks, and they are often much smaller than average newborns.

What a Premature Baby Must Face

Preterm infants are more likely to suffer birth trauma, and an attorney from Santa Ana could evaluate injuries such as fractures, skin tears, and brain hemorrhages. Besides trauma, premature babies often face illnesses and disorders that may cause lifelong disabilities. These include the following:

• Seizures, which could result from a brain hemorrhage
• Lung and respiratory distress and illnesses due to underdeveloped lungs
• Jaundice, a common liver condition that can be dangerous to preterm infants
• Cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder caused by prenatal problems or by brain injury during birth
• Infections in the gastrointestinal tract or other systems that are a threat to any infant, and especially an underweight one

Premature babies have to stay in the neonatal intensive care unit to stabilize, possibly for weeks or months, before they can go home.

Mothers and Premature Deliveries

A mother may give birth prematurely for many reasons, including family history. Obstetrician-gynecologists have tools to prevent or slow down preterm labor to allow the child a slightly longer time for gestation.

However, if a mother has certain health issues, her doctor may choose early delivery. For systemic problems such as pre-eclampsia or ruptured membranes, doctors may induce labor before 39 weeks to avoid further danger.

Premature delivery carries risks of injury for the mother as well as the child. A mother can sustain a uterine rupture, require a C-section, or face other dangerous complications. It is doubly traumatic to have to recover from these injuries while your infant is clinging to life. Our Santa Ana lawyers advocate for families who have suffered injury from a premature delivery.

Speak With an Ikuta Hemasath Attorney in Santa Ana to Rebuild After Premature Birth Injuries

Some mothers and children suffer because a doctor did not do enough to prevent preterm labor. Others sustain injuries during labor that a doctor chose to induce. Still others find that their children will need long-term care or assistance due to an injury during an unexpectedly early birth.

However your journey began, Ikuta Hemesath stands on its record of care and strong counsel for women and children after difficult births. One of our Santa Ana premature delivery malpractice lawyers can explain your options in more detail. Take the first step toward recovery and get in touch with us today.