Preeclampsia is a condition in which a rapid increase in blood pressure leads to stroke, seizure, organ failure, birth injury or even the death of an expectant mother or her baby. It can arise after the 20th week of pregnancy. Although there is no cure for preeclampsia, doctors can prescribe certain medications to manage it. With early detection and careful monitoring, patients can manage their preeclampsia until they safely give birth.
Diagnosing – or failing to diagnose – preeclampsia
One factor in detecting preeclampsia is regular checkups with a physician who can detect the signs of preeclampsia. Doctors must also order certain tests to detect it in a timely manner. These may include:
- Fetal ultrasounds
- Kidney and liver screenings
- Urine tests
- Blood pressure measurements
It is the duty of the doctor to know which tests to request if a patient shows signs of preeclampsia. If a doctor fails to order these tests, you may have a case for medical malpractice.
The devastating results of preeclampsia
Although some cases of preeclampsia do not result in any harm to the mother or the child, others lead to lifelong injury. The lack of adequate oxygen flow to the fetus can result in major birth defects. In addition, children of women who had preeclampsia during pregnancy have a higher risk of cerebral palsy. In some extreme cases, a woman or her baby may also suffer a wrongful death due to the doctor’s negligence in detecting and diagnosing this serious disorder