Advances in medicine and technology for prenatal care should ease mothers' worries during pregnancy. Medical professionals administer tests throughout gestation to detect disabilities, illnesses, and other serious conditions in mother and child. Every mother expects these tests to give them the information they need to make the best decisions for their and their baby's health.
Tragically, sometimes the prenatal screening is inadequate or occurs too late. When a prenatal test fails to pick up a severe condition, parents are left shocked and heartbroken at the unexpected reality of their situation. If you or your child suffered injuries due to inadequate screening, read on to learn more about these cases and how a New Jersey inadequate prenatal screening lawyer can help you.
Types of Prenatal Testing
Different types of prenatal testing are available and regularly administered to pregnant women. These tests and their purposes include:
- Non-invasive prenatal testing, or NIPT, is a common test for high-risk pregnancies and screening for chromosomal abnormalities. It involves a simple blood draw and analyzes fetal DNA circulating in the mother’s blood. Patients should speak to their doctor, as these tests serve to screen but not diagnose potential chromosomal abnormalities.
- Alpha-fetoprotein test. The alpha-fetoprotein test, or AFP test, measures the level of alpha-fetoprotein in a pregnant person’s blood. This test is usually undertaken between 15 to 20 weeks into a pregnancy. AFP is a protein that a developing baby makes and releases into their mother’s bloodstream. Higher or lower detected values of AFP proteins may indicate the following:
- The baby has a high risk of having a genetic disorder, such as a neural tube defect or Down syndrome,
- A baby’s due date is incorrect as abnormal AFP may indicate that a baby is due earlier or later than estimated, or
- A pregnancy with more than one baby.
While the most common reason for an abnormal AFP test is that a due date is incorrect, it’s possible that there may be problems with a baby’s health.
- Ultrasound examination. Ultrasound examinations are performed throughout pregnancy for different purposes. During the first, second, and third trimesters, they help identify abnormalities or problems with a baby's development.
- Fetal heart rate monitoring. Fetal heart rate monitoring checks the baby's heart rate and rhythm because abnormal heart rates may indicate oxygen deprivation, increasing the risk of cerebral palsy.
- Glucose challenge tests. A glucose test screens for gestational diabetes, which, when diagnosed, increases the risk of preeclampsia, excessive birth weight, and birth injuries.
- Group B Strep Culture test. All pregnant mothers should be screened for Group B Strep or GBS at 35 or 37 weeks of pregnancy. GBS is the most common cause of severe or life-threatening infections in babies, and this screening helps to prevent transmission.
- Non-stress tests. Around 38 to 42 weeks of pregnancy, this test shows how well a baby responds to movement. Slow movements may indicate a lack of oxygen flowing to the baby, prompting intervention to reduce the risk of injuries, including cerebral palsy.
- Amniotic fluid index test. An amniotic fluid index or AFI test determines the amniotic fluid levels in the womb. Too little or too much amniotic fluid creates the risk of complications. Assessing the amniotic fluid levels may direct a doctor and other medical professionals to intervene to prevent harm to the baby.
- Biophysical profile test. Biophysical profile prenatal testing is undertaken at 28 weeks to observe a baby's movements and measure amniotic fluid volume.
- Amniocentesis. An amniocentesis is an invasive test performed between 15 to 20 weeks of pregnancy when the expectant mother may have a higher risk of chromosomal abnormalities, including Down syndrome.
Your New Jersey inadequate prenatal screening attorney reviews the results of these tests and determines where a diagnosis may have fallen short or how a serious condition was missed.
How Can New Jersey Inadequate Prenatal Screening Lawyers Help Me?
Most expectant mothers receive the benefit of prenatal care to monitor the health and development of their babies through various screenings, tests, and regular examinations. When a medical professional or medical team fails you, and you or your child suffer injuries and harm, you deserve compensation. Succeeding on a medical malpractice claim requires establishing the four required elements of negligence:
- Duty. The medical professional has a duty to provide a certain standard of care to you as their patient.
- Breach. The medical professional violated this duty of care by delivering inadequate medical treatment.
- Causation. The medical professional's breach was the direct cause of your injuries.
- Damages. You suffered damages and other losses due to the medical professional's conduct.
You and your family may be reeling after a failed diagnosis of a severe medical condition or the heartbreaking loss of a child after inadequate prenatal screening. While no amount of money could replace the loss you feel, it can assist you and your family in moving forward after such a traumatic experience. New Jersey inadequate prenatal screening attorneys understand what's at stake and work tirelessly to strengthen your claim so you and your family can recover what you deserve.
Contact a New Jersey Inadequate Prenatal Screening Lawyer
Our relationship with you matters at O'Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble, and we are here to support you. We have an admirable history of success, and the professionalism with which we have obtained our results has earned us the respect of our peers and clients. We understand your difficulties and work tirelessly to get the job done and do it right. Whether you were in a hospital, workplace, vehicle, or elsewhere, we know that pain can take many forms.
Contact us today by phone or email to schedule a consultation with our legal team and learn more about how we can help you.