A caesarean section is a common and often life-saving procedure. When carried out correctly, it can protect both mother and baby. However, when mistakes are made during a c-section, the consequences can be devastating and, in some cases, irreversible.
Our specialist stillbirth and neonatal death solicitors regularly support families whose lives have been changed by negligently performed caesarean sections. One recent case, resulting in a £200,000 settlement, highlights the serious risks that arise when basic standards of care are not followed.
Failure to check the baby’s position before a caesarean section
Before a caesarean is performed, clinicians have a clear duty to check the baby’s position. This assessment is essential, as it determines the safest type and location of the uterine incision. In this case, the hospital failed to confirm how the baby was lying before surgery. As a result, the surgeon began the procedure without knowing whether the planned incision was appropriate. This fundamental oversight meant the operation could not proceed safely as intended.
Failing to check the baby’s position can lead to:
- The wrong type of incision being used
- Delays in delivering the baby
- Increased risk of placental separation
- Serious injury or stillbirth
Incorrect incisions and delayed delivery
Because the initial incision was unsuitable, the baby could not be delivered safely. This was only discovered after surgery had already begun, causing an unnecessary and dangerous delay while a further incision was made.
During this delay, the placenta separated. Placental abruption during delivery is a medical emergency and deprives the baby of oxygen. In this case, it resulted in a preventable stillbirth.
Errors during caesarean surgery, including poor planning and an incorrect incision choice, significantly increase the risk of:
- Placental abruption
- Excessive bleeding
- The baby becoming distressed
- A stillbirth or neonatal death
Negligent caesarean section care can occur where medical professionals fail to provide an acceptable standard of treatment before, during or after surgery, resulting in avoidable harm to a mother or baby.
Long-term risks of incorrect c-section techniques
The consequences of a poorly performed caesarean do not always end with the delivery. The type and number of uterine incisions made can have a lasting impact on a woman’s health and future family planning.
In this case, the incorrect use of a T-shaped uterine incision exposed our client to a much higher risk of complications. Despite this, she was wrongly advised that she could safely try for another pregnancy after just three to six months.
This advice fell below an acceptable standard of care. Following this guidance led directly to a catastrophic uterine rupture during her next pregnancy, resulting in a second stillbirth and the loss of her ability to carry future pregnancies.
Incorrectly conducted c-sections can increase the risk of:
- Uterine rupture in future pregnancies
- Placenta accreta or previa
- Infertility
- Loss of the uterus
- Further stillbirth or neonatal deaths following subsequent pregnancies
When can you claim compensation for caesarean negligence?
You may be entitled to claim compensation if mistakes were made during your caesarean section causing a permanent serious injury including:
- Failure to assess the baby’s position before surgery
- Use of an inappropriate or high-risk incision
- Delays in delivery caused by poor surgical planning
- Inadequate advice about recovery and future pregnancies
Hospitals do not always admit fault, even when errors are clear. In this case, despite no formal admission of liability, we were able to secure significant compensation to support the family’s future, including funding IVF treatment and a successful surrogate pregnancy.
Why Diane Rostron?
Diane Rostron is a specialist complex birth injury law firm representing families affected by maternity negligence. The team collaborates with leading independent medical experts and barristers to forensically investigate the chain of events resulting in a permanent brain injury, or the loss of a baby to stillbirth or in the initial weeks after birth.
Offering in excess of 30 years’ experience, Diane Rostron has a strong history of securing £multi-million brain damage claims and substantial settlements when a baby has died following suspected medical errors.
The empathetic team of parents support families through the legal process and beyond the conclusion of a claim. The experts understand the complex lifelong care needs of a child when hospital failings have caused irreversible brain damage, including cerebral palsy cases.
The team understands the devastation and trauma suffered by parents who have lost their baby, or whose child has been catastrophically brain damaged due to preventable medical negligence – including historic incidents when other law firms have not successfully concluded a claim. Diane Rostron secures answers and justice when families have been let down by their hospital.
To start a claim, please get in touch with our medical negligence solicitors by calling 01253 766 559.