Birth asphyxia or hypoxia occurs when an infant does not receive an adequate supply of oxygen before, during, or immediately following birth. Although many babies receive a smaller supply of oxygen during the birth process, the uterus provides a reserve supply of oxygen and blood to the baby through the placenta. Most babies who experience hypoxia can be treated with some stimulation after birth and rarely suffer any major injury to their brain.
However, hypoxia, if not detected and treated quickly, can lead to permanent damage to the baby's brain, heart, lung, kidneys, and other organs. Hypoxia can also lead to developmental delays, impaired vision, even paralysis, including cerebral palsy. Some of the causes of birth asphyxia include prolapse of the umbilical cord during delivery, compression of the umbilical cord during labor or delivery, rupture of the uterus, separation of the placenta before the delivery, insufficient oxygen in the mother's blood before or during the birth of the child, improper blood pressure in the mother, serious infections with the mother or infant, a long or difficult birth process, or the infant's airway is blocked.
Doctors and nurses can monitor the condition of the baby using a fetal heart rate monitor, which shows the baby's heart rate during labor. If for example there is a compression of the umbilical cord during labor or delivery, including the umbilical cord being wrapped around the baby's neck or body, and this causes a lack of blood flow or oxygen to the baby, the fetal heart rate monitor can show the baby is in distress. It is imperative that the medical staff pay attention to this and act quickly to resolve the problem. Failure to recognize a problem such as birth asphyxia and taking quick action, can result in permanent and severe damage to the baby, even death. Medical negligence or medical malpractice lawsuits frequently involve the failure of the medical staff to correctly interpret the fetal monitor strip or the delay in notifying the doctor of the problem.
In a situation involving birth asphyxia, the baby may need to be delivered immediately, including through the use of a C-section. While most hospitals can deliver a baby by a cesarean section within 30 minutes notice from the doctor, this may be too long. The baby may need to be delivered by C-section within 15 to 20 minutes or even less, to prevent serious injuries to the baby's brain. One simple act of negligence in a critical area such as asphyxia can cause permanent and severe injuries to the baby, which may require the baby to receive medical care for the rest of his or her life.
