For women who are pregnant, receiving proper prenatal care is an important part of ensuring that a baby is born healthy. Unfortunately, though, some women seek prenatal care but develop conditions that are undiagnosed or untreated. One dangerous condition that can cause complications during pregnancy is gestational diabetes. If your gestational diabetes was undiagnosed or improperly treated over the course of your pregnancy and if your child was harmed as a result, you have the right to file a lawsuit. Gestational diabetes lawyers in New York at Gacovino & Lake can help – 800-550-0000.
What is gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is diabetes that first starts (or if first diagnosed) during a woman’s pregnancy. Characterized by high blood sugar, gestational diabetes is a serious condition that requires treatment. Sometimes gestational diabetes goes undiagnosed because symptoms are mild or even nonexistent, according to MedlinePlus. If gestational diabetes is controlled, then the chance of harm occurring to the fetus is low.
Diagnosing Gestational Diabetes
As mentioned above, gestational diabetes often has nonexistent symptoms or symptoms that are so mild that a woman may not think they are connected to diabetes or anything serious. Because of the lack of serious symptoms, all prenatal care providers should administer an oral glucose tolerance test midway through pregnancy, which is when gestational diabetes most commonly develops. Treatment usually includes diet and exercise, although medication may be used to control diabetes, too.
Dangers of Untreated Gestational Diabetes for a Fetus
One of the biggest concerns of gestational diabetes is that women with gestational diabetes tend to have larger babies at birth. Larger babies can cause complications during the birthing process, such as shoulder dystocia (the baby’s shoulder being caught in the birthing canal) and other types of birth trauma. Sometimes, a cesarean section is required to safely deliver a baby.
In addition to an increased birth weight, mothers with diabetes also may be at risk for preeclampsia, a condition caused by high blood pressure during pregnancy. Preeclampsia can threaten both mother and baby’s lives, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Filing a Medical Malpractice Suit for Negligent Prenatal Care
Every pregnant woman who seeks prenatal care from a healthcare professional should have her glucose tolerance tested during her pregnancy; failure of a prenatal care provider to do so may be indicative of a violation of the standard of care which doctors must follow. If the prenatal care provider knows of the gestational diabetes but fails to treat it, this is also a violation of the standard of care.
When a medical standard of care is violated, the healthcare professional is considered to have acted negligently. If you believe that your prenatal care provider acted negligently by failing to diagnose or treat gestational diabetes, and if the failure caused harm to you or your baby, you can file a medical malpractice suit for damages. Our gestational diabetes attorneys in New York can help.
Take Legal Action As Soon As Possible – Call Our Gestational Diabetes Lawyers in New York
If you or your baby have been harmed because of your doctor’s negligence, you can do something to make sure your family recovers the compensation amount you deserve. At Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C., our attorneys can help you recover damages by guiding you through the claims or lawsuit process. If you’re ready to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against your negligent prenatal care provider today, call us now at 800-550-0000 or use our contact form to set up your free consultation.
