Childbirth brings moments of hope and excitement. Sadly, it can also present hazards for mothers. When something goes wrong during what should be a wholesome and loving experience, it can be earth-shattering.
Even worse, it may have been preventable.
At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., we use our knowledge, resources, and compassion to help if you suspect your loved one died due to negligence in the delivery room. We never want families to feel alone in these painful circumstances, and we have decades of experience fighting for justice on behalf of those who were wronged.
Maternal Mortality Statistics
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hundreds of women around the globe die every day from pregnancy-related complications. While these tragedies often occur in areas lacking proper medical facilities, the issue significantly affects regions with advanced healthcare systems, including the United States.
Key statistics include:
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Global Impact: Around 287,000 women worldwide died from causes linked to pregnancy and childbirth in a recent year.
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Rising U.S. Rates: Yale Medicine reports that maternal mortality has risen in the U.S. in recent years, leaving many families shocked and uncertain about what went wrong.
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Preventability: The CDC reports that over 80% of these losses may have been avoided with better detection and timely response.
Risk Factors and Health Disparities
Maternal mortality does not affect all demographics equally. Understanding the risk factors is essential for identifying high-risk pregnancies that require vigilant monitoring.
Racial Disparities in Maternal Health There is a documented, significant gap in outcomes based on race and ethnicity. According to the CDC, Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women. These disparities often stem from variations in quality healthcare access, underlying chronic conditions, and structural inequities.
Common Risk Factors Beyond racial disparities, other factors can increase the likelihood of complications. These include advanced maternal age (giving birth over age 35), pre-existing chronic conditions like hypertension or diabetes, and a history of previous pregnancy complications.
Why Mothers Die: Negligence vs. Complication
When mothers die during childbirth, families want to know why and how. Complications like severe bleeding, high blood pressure, or infections can turn deadly in minutes.
The Standard of Care
In the legal context, medical professionals are required to adhere to a standard of care. This means they must act with the same level of skill and caution that a reasonably competent medical professional would use under similar circumstances. When doctors fail to recognize distress or delay necessary treatment, they may have breached this standard.
The Importance of Emergency Obstetric Care
Hospitals must be equipped to provide immediate emergency obstetric care when a crisis arises. This includes having access to blood banks for transfusions, surgical teams for emergency C-sections, and specialized medication to stabilize blood pressure. A failure to have these protocols in place—or a delay in activating them—can constitute negligence.
Maternal Mortality Causes
Several specific medical events appear frequently in maternal death and malpractice cases.
Postpartum Hemorrhage One of the leading causes of maternal mortality globally is Postpartum Hemorrhage. This involves severe, uncontrolled bleeding after childbirth, often caused by uterine atony (failure of the uterus to contract), lacerations, or retained placental tissue. If medical teams fail to measure blood loss accurately or delay intervention, the mother can go into shock rapidly.
Preeclampsia and Eclampsia Preeclampsia is a condition characterized by sharply elevated blood pressure and organ damage. If left untreated, it can escalate to eclampsia, which causes seizures, stroke, and death. Regular prenatal monitoring is vital to catch this condition early before it becomes fatal.
Infections (Sepsis) Infections can occur before, during, or after delivery. If bacteria enter the bloodstream, it can lead to sepsis—an extreme immune response that damages the body’s own tissues. Failure to maintain sterile environments or delay in administering antibiotics can be catastrophic.
Vascular and Cardiac Causes
Heart and blood vessel conditions are becoming increasingly common contributors to maternal mortality.
Pulmonary Embolism Pregnancy increases the risk of blood clots. A Pulmonary Embolism occurs when a blood clot (usually from the leg, known as Deep Vein Thrombosis) travels to the lungs, blocking blood flow. Failure to provide anticoagulants to high-risk mothers or ignoring symptoms like shortness of breath can be fatal errors.
Cardiomyopathy Peripartum Cardiomyopathy is a form of heart failure that weakens the heart muscle, making it difficult to pump blood to the rest of the body. It typically develops in the last month of pregnancy or up to five months after giving birth. Symptoms are often mistaken for normal pregnancy fatigue, leading to missed diagnoses.
Amniotic Fluid Embolism This is a rare but severe condition where amniotic fluid enters the mother’s bloodstream, triggering a severe reaction that can lead to cardiorespiratory collapse and massive bleeding. Immediate, aggressive resuscitation is required to survive this event.
Contact Our Medical Malpractice Lawyers for Help
At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., we have worked with families who have experienced this tragedy. Our team has recovered over $3 billion for victims and secured over 400 verdicts and settlements over $1 million throughout the past 40+ years.
We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to listen to your story, review medical records, and determine if malpractice occurred. If a doctor’s mistake caused your loss, we’re here to investigate what went wrong, hold the healthcare provider accountable, and help you move forward.
If medical negligence played a role in your family’s loss, you deserve answers. Contact us today to discover your legal options and how we can assist in seeking justice.
