The Risks of Untreated Preeclampsia

Accomplished birth injury attorneys in Kentucky

Preeclampsia is a condition that affects pregnant women and usually presents around the 20-week period of pregnancy. Signs may include high blood pressure and kidney damage, though other organs may be affected. If left untreated, preeclampsia can be fatal.

Crandall & Pera Law helps to protect expectant mothers and their children whose doctors failed to diagnose and treat preeclampsia. We are widely recognized throughout Kentucky for our successful handling of birth injury cases. Our team is comprised of medical malpractice attorneys, registered nurses and legal staff who work together to design strategies that speak to an individual’s needs.

Diagnosing preeclampsia

Some of the signs of preeclampsia are not specific to the condition, and some cases do not develop symptoms at all. The most common sign of the condition is high blood pressure, which usually spikes suddenly. An expectant mother may also feel nauseated, experience shortness of breath or blurry vision, or suffer with abdominal pain and headaches. Doctors who suspect preeclampsia may test a mother’s urine for an increase in protein, which indicates damage to the kidneys. They may also order an ultrasound for the child, or blood tests to check your platelet count.

The risks of preeclampsia

The only “cure” for preeclampsia is birth, and many women with preeclampsia give birth to healthy babies. If the condition is left undiagnosed or untreated, the result could be devastating:

• Eclampsia. Eclampsia is a seizure disorder that may necessitate the delivery of the baby, regardless of how far along the mother is. It can develop during the pregnancy or postpartum. The seizures could cause brain damage to the mother, and may lead to developmental delays or skull fractures in the newborn, depending on their severity.
• HELLP syndrome. The Mayo Clinic defines HELLP syndrome as “hemolysis (the destruction of red blood cells), elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count.” HELLP syndrome indicates damage to multiple organs in a mother’s body, and can prove fatal to the mother and the child.
• Oxygen deprivation to the baby. If the blood flow to the placenta is affected, the baby may not receive enough oxygen. The result could be brain damage, low birth weight or a premature birth.
• Heart disease. Mothers who are diagnosed with preeclampsia are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life.
• Placental abruption. Placental abruption leads to internal bleeding, and the damage to the placenta may be life threatening.

Crandall & Pera Law knows how serious misdiagnosed preeclampsia can be. Without treatment, the condition could be fatal to the mother or the child. We counsel clients about their options and their rights when negligence leads to the harm of a mother or her child.

What should your OB evaluate in the Pre-natal period? – Pre-eclampsia

Your counsel when your preeclampsia was misdiagnosed

Preeclampsia is a serious condition that could lead to the tragic death of a mother or her child. Crandall & Pera Law handles complex misdiagnosis cases throughout Kentucky. To schedule a free initial consultation at one of our offices, please call 877-686-8879 or fill out our contact form. We have two Kentucky office locations in Lexington and Louisville.