Risk of Birth Injury May Increase in Pregnant Women over 40 Years Old

A variety of factors can place a mother and child at an increased risk of suffering from a birth injury, although the responsibility of a medical provider not to commit medical malpractice should not be affected by such high-risk pregnancies. Risks to both the mother and child begin to increase after an expecting mother is 35 years old, and medical providers may be required to provide a heightened standard of care to these patients, especially when the medical providers have been involved with fertility treatments for the woman before the child was conceived.

Risks Begin to Increase at 40 Years Old

Women who give birth to children after the age of 40 may have an increased risk of a birth injury. After the age of 40, there is an increased risk of placental previa, which occurs when the placenta blocks the uterine wall and increases the risk of hemorrhage, as well as placental abruption, which causes the placenta to separate from the uterine wall. It is additionally more likely that a woman over 40 will be required to have a cesarean section, which may not be performed properly. A doctor’s failure to adequately identify or address any of these increased risk factors may result in a birth injury caused by medical malpractice

Risks Increase Dramatically After 45 Years Old, Further Increasing the Standard of Care

Pregnancies in women over the age of 45 are classified as high-risk pregnancies, and the mothers and babies should be treated with utmost care by medical providers to reduce the risk of a birth injury. A 45-year-old woman who becomes pregnant faces an increased risk of complications, which increase the standard of care required of the treating medical providers. More stress tests and ultrasounds may be needed in a pregnant woman over 45, and a failure to do so may result in an increased risk of a miscarriage or birth injury. The legal duty of a medical provider is to give a patient the standard of care that a patient with a similar background would receive from a reasonably competent health care professional in the same medical specialty. A doctor’s failure to provide this level of care could result in a medical malpractice claim if a patient or baby is injured as a result of that failure.

Study Finds Benefits to Children Born from Older Mothers

A recently released study, discussed here in a news article, found that there are benefits to the children of mothers who become pregnant when they are older. The results of the study demonstrated that the children were taller, did better in school, and were more likely to go to university than siblings who were born when the mother was younger. The reasons for this may not be biological, since older parents may be more financially stable and experienced with child rearing, enabling them to take better care of the babies born later, but the results are interesting nonetheless.

Are You a Victim of Medical Malpractice?

If you think you or a family member was a victim of medical malpractice, resulting in a birth injury, the experienced and knowledgeable Maryland and Washington, D.C. birth injury attorneys at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman can represent you in pursuing your claim. Our aggressive and dedicated Maryland birth injury lawyers fight every day to obtain the compensation our clients deserve. Contact the qualified Maryland and D.C. birth injury attorneys at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman today. Call us at 410-998-3600 or contact us through our website to schedule a risk-free consultation.