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Fighting for Justice When Medication Errors During Pregnancy Harm South Carolina Mothers and Babies
Aggressive representation for injured mothers and newborns in Rock Hill, Anderson, Columbia, Sumter, and Georgetown
Doctors who prescribe the wrong medication, order dosages that are too strong or too weak, or prescribe medications known to have dangerous side effects should be held accountable for the injuries the drugs cause. Physicians must also take a full history of all the prescribed and non-prescribed drugs a pregnant mother takes to protect against dangerous interactions of drugs during a pregnancy.
At McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, our South Carolina OB malpractice lawyers understand the drugs that are normally given to mothers during a pregnancy and the risks associated with these drugs. For more than two decades, we have helped mothers, children, and families get justice in the South Carolina courts of Rock Hill, Anderson, Columbia, Sumter, and Georgetown.
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Common types of medication errors
Doctors and pharmacies make medication mistakes for many reasons, including:
- Giving the wrong prescription. Doctors should give prescriptions that match the right medical problems. This means they need to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe medications that are known to help remedy the specific health problem of the mother.
- Prescriptions that are incomplete or have inaccurate information. Doctors who fail to know all the drugs a mother is taking along with prior test results can prescribe the wrong combination of drugs. Certain drugs can interact harmfully, causing permanent injury or death. The wrong drug can cause allergic reactions, rashes, and other problems.
- Poor communication. Medication errors include filling out the prescription incorrectly because of bad handwriting, a misunderstanding of generic alternatives, dosage mistakes, and incorrect shorthand.
- Bad labels. The drug types and instructions need to match the medication actually given.
If you or a loved one has experienced harm during pregnancy due to a prescription mistake, turn to our South Carolina medication error lawyers.
Medication errors during pregnancy, in the delivery room, and postpartum
Doctors use several drugs to help induce labor or the progression of the delivery. If one of them is administered incorrectly, it could have fatal consequences. McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, represents South Carolina families who have sustained a loss or injury because of errors including:
- Cytotec. Cytotec is an NSAID—a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Cytotec is absorbed through the vagina, which makes it difficult to discontinue if an adverse reaction occurs. Known risks include:
- Uterine hyperstimulation. This can cause brain damage and birth asphyxia due to a lack of oxygen getting to the infant.
- Uterine rupture. This is a partial or complete tear of the uterus, which can cause hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy or excessive bleeding. The uterus may need to be fixed or removed entirely.
- Increased need for an emergency C-Section. Both uterine hyperstimulation and uterine rupture necessitate the doctors doing a C-section procedure, which have many known medical risks.
- Hemorrhaging. Hemorrhaging is a more precise word for excessive bleeding.
Cytotec is not recommended from women who have had a prior C-section or any other surgery of the uterus.
- Pitocin and oxytocin. Pitocin is a synthetic form of oxytocin, which is a hormone produced by the body. Pitocin is prescribed when contractions are too frequent or too strong. The risks of Pitocin include bleeding and fetal lacerations. Improper delivery of oxygen from the placenta is a major risk. Oxygen deprivation injuries can cause brain damage and other long-term problems.
- Anesthesia complications. Anesthesia is a medication given during surgeries, including deliveries. Epidural anesthesia is common during birth deliveries. Complications from this medical intervention include brain bleeding and infant injuries because it necessitates the use of medical instruments during labor. Other risks include fetal heart deceleration, respiratory arrest, low blood pressure, abnormal contractions, and other dangers. Fetal heart monitors should be used if anesthesia is given to the mother.
The danger of many medications given during pregnancy is that the dosage needed can vary from mother to mother. Monitoring strategies can be very hard to determine, in part because the drug takes a while to take effect. If you have been the victim of a medication error, get help from our South Carolina obstetrical malpractice attorneys today.
Talk to a trusted South Carolina pregnancy medication error lawyer now
At McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, our South Carolina medication error attorneys fight for mothers, children, and families. We demand the full compensation possible for your case. For help now, please call 803-327-7800 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free case evaluation. From our offices in Rock Hill, Anderson, Columbia, Sumter, and Georgetown, we see clients throughout South Carolina.