Physician Pays $457,000 On Lawsuit Of Loss Of Baby As Resut Of Not Administering Antibiotics

If a infant acquires an infection caused by the group b strep bacteria there is a very substantial risk to the baby's condition that results. This may also result in the death of the newborn. Babies who survive may suffer from permanent disabilities particularly cerebral palsy. The infection can suddenly develop into pneumonia, sepsis (an infection that advances across the body), and meningitis. Given the dangers a GBS infection poses to infants physicians generally acknowledge that it is essential to decrease the risk that the infection will be transferred to the baby from a mother who carries, or has any of the risk factors, for the bacteria.

There are therefore some situations which doctors take into account in deciding if there is an increased risk that the woman will transmit the bacteria to her newborn. First, if the pregnant woman has a history of carrying the bacteria during a previous pregnancy. Standard screening between weeks 35 and 37 of the pregnancy revealed positive for the bacteria. Antibiotics are also called for when the pregnant woman has an unknown medical history but she relates any of the known risk factors for example membrane rupture having happened in excess of 18 hours earlier. Should the infant does endure an injury (such as blindness, a brain injury, or a seizure disorder) due to the failure by a physician to administer antibiotics under any of the conditions above or any others contained in the guidelines, there may exist medical malpractice liability.

Consider the report of a claim concerning a nineteen year old female who, before reaching full term, was admitted to a hospital to give birth to her baby. It was known by the physician who delivered the baby that the mother had had a rupture of her membranes over 18 hours prior to the start of labor. However regardless of the fact that this put the expectant mother at risk of a Group B Strep infection the doctor did not give antibiotics for Group b streptococcus. Following birth, the child was not breathing. The medical staff at the hospital subsequently realized that this was on account of a group b streptococcus infection. Regardless of attempts at treatment by the hospital staff the infant died 2 days after being born due to complications from the infection. The law firm that represented the baby's mother was able to report that the case went to trial and the jury came back with a verdict in amount of $457,000.

This claim exhibits that a Group B Strep infection may be fatal in a baby. The need for antibiotics in situations where the pregnant woman has any of the risk factors is thus generally stressed by doctors. A physician who fails to provide antibiotics in a circumstance such as this may be liable for malpractice.