Caesarean Section Negligence Claim Solicitors.

As with any form of surgery, a C-section carries some risks. The surgeon and medical staff, looking after the mother and baby during the procedure, will be highly trained and experienced in handling a variety of different issues that could potentially present during the surgery. Yet, as meticulous as the medical staff are, a mother may still experience problems post-surgery which require immediate medical attention, including:

• Severe pain in and around the wound
• Severe vaginal bleeding
• Bleeding or pain when urinating, or bladder leakage
• Changes in the colour or shape of the wound
• Increasing redness or swelling of the wound
• Pus or discharge from the wound along with a potent smell
• Pain or swelling in the lower legs
• A persistent cough or shortness of breath

All types of surgery carry potential risks, and caesarean sections are no different. The surgeon performing the procedure will have undergone years of studying and training, and in the vast majority of cases the surgery will go off without a hitch. However, complications and injuries can happen due to a number of reasons, including:

• Post-surgery infection could become more serious or even life-threatening if treatment is delayed
• Excessive bleeding could occur, requiring a blood transfusion or additional corrective surgery
• Postpartum endometritis, which is a bacterial infection of the womb lining
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) which is a blood clot in the leg causing pain and swelling, and could travel to the lungs causing a life-threatening pulmonary embolism
• The mother may experience internal injuries due to surgical error, such as a perforated bladder or bowel, which can lead to incontinence
• Improper suturing of the wound, increasing the risk of it reopening during a future pregnancy
• Surgical error could cause nerve damage which leads to numbness in part of the mother’s body
• An error could be made when the anaesthetic is being administered
• Surgical error could mean the baby experiences lacerations, fractures, nerve damage, or brachial plexus damage during the procedure, which can lead to Erb’s palsy
• A delay in carrying out a C-section can lead to the baby suffering oxygen starvation, which can cause conditions such as cerebral palsy
• A delayed caesarean could also mean the baby’s head becomes stuck in the birth canal and is put under excessive pressure, resulting in brain damage

Some of these things, such as post-surgery infections, can happen in even the most routine and straightforward cases, and can be easily treated with antibiotics. However, some of these problems can occur or be made worse due to clinical negligence, potentially leading to chronic or life-long problems, or in some cases even proving fatal to mother or baby.

If you have experienced any problems as a direct result of your caesarean section and you feel that you have received negligent care from the hospital, you may have a case for claiming compensation and our team of medical negligence solicitors will be happy to advise you.

There are a number of factors which could mean that a caesarean section is a safer option than a vaginal birth, including:

• The baby is in breech position (bottom down instead of head down)
• The baby is back-to-back with the mother which can make vaginal birth difficult
• Pelvic disproportion, i.e. the mother’s pelvis is too narrow for a safe delivery
• A prolapsed umbilical cord e.g. slipped out of position or squashed
• Placental abruption, in which the placenta detaches from the wall of the uterus
• Placenta praevia, which is where the uterus is blocked by the membrane, thus obstructing birth
• Fetal distress e.g. heart rate slows and takes longer than expected to recover after contractions
• Assisted delivery failure i.e. when forceps or ventouse have been unsuccessful
• Uterine rupture, which is when the uterus opens, usually along the scar from a previous C-section

If the caesarean section is pre-planned, the mother will be invited to the hospital around a week before the due date for a preoperative appointment. This appointment provides the parents with the opportunity to ask any questions they may have about the procedure. The doctor will also request a blood test to check for anaemia.

The doctor will discuss the variety of medication available to the mother before, during, and after the procedure, such as antibiotics, anti-sickness medication, pain relief, and medication that reduces the amount of acid in the stomach. The mother will also be asked to sign a consent form and advised to stop eating and drinking several hours before the procedure.

If the caesarean is to take place in an emergency situation, the preoperative process will move quickly. The mother will be informed of all associated risks and asked to sign a consent form, and immediately after she will be prepped for surgery. This will usually involve compression stockings being put onto her legs, before she is wheeled through to theatre to have the spinal block. In an emergency situation, it can be as little as 15 minutes between signing the consent form and being on the operating table, which can feel very overwhelming and traumatising for the mother.

Once the C-section surgery is complete, the mother is usually moved to a recovery ward or private room, where she can rest and recover from the effects of the anaesthetic, before being offered pain relief for the post-surgery discomfort she may be experiencing. Surgery typically carries the risk of blood clots, so the mother will most likely be given blood-thinning medication and compression stockings to help reduce the risk.

As soon as the mother feels hungry again after the surgery, she should be offered food and drink, and she should also be offered help with breastfeeding if she has chosen to feed her baby in that way, as it can be difficult to establish breastfeeding after the physical trauma of surgery. Mothers are typically encouraged to get out of bed and start moving about within the first 24 hours of their C-section as this can help with long-term recovery, although doctors also advise not to do too much too soon.

Some mothers will spend around three to four days in hospital after their C-section so that the midwives and doctors can make sure they are recovering well, and that mother and baby are both healthy. For others this will be less. Before leaving the hospital, a midwife will advise the mother how to care for their wound in order to prevent infection, including keeping the wound clean and dry, and avoiding tight clothes that will rub on the wound. If the wound was closed with non-dissolvable stitches, these should be removed by a midwife around seven days after the surgery.

Yes; as with most medical negligence cases, the time limit for bringing a claim for a caesarean injury caused by negligent care is three years from the date of the injury, or three years from the date that you were first aware of the injury. For example, if the injury only came to light several months or years on from the C-section, this is when the three-year period would begin.

It can typically take around three to four years for the claim to be fully processed and for the outcome to be determined, so we would recommend that you contact us as soon as you are able to in order to avoid possible delays that could affect your case.