Every birth should begin with hope, not heartbreak. For North Bethesda families, discovering that a newborn has suffered fetal acidosis can feel overwhelming. At Schochor, Staton, Goldberg & Cardea, P.A., Jonathan Schochor and Kerry Staton lead a dedicated team that has fought for injured children since 1984.
We understand the fear, anger, and confusion you may feel, and we stand ready to guide you toward justice and the resources your baby needs. Contact us for a free consultation. Our phones are answered 24/7 at (443) 909-2792.
What Is Fetal Acidosis and Why Is It Dangerous?
Fetal acidosis is a condition in which a baby’s blood becomes abnormally acidic after oxygen deprivation. Even a small drop in pH can injure delicate brain tissue and vital organs. Untreated acidosis can progress quickly to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, seizures, or death, so doctors must treat it as a medical emergency.
Can Proper Medical Care Prevent Fetal Acidosis?
Most fetal acidosis injuries are preventable when doctors act fast. Continuous fetal heart monitoring, timely maternal repositioning, supplemental oxygen, or an emergency C-section can restore oxygen before acid builds up. When healthcare providers ignore red-flag readings or delay intervention, a baby’s condition can worsen in minutes, an avoidable failure that often constitutes malpractice.
What Medical Mistakes Can Lead to Fetal Acidosis?
Medical negligence during pregnancy or delivery frequently causes fetal acidosis:
- Failure to monitor fetal distress – misreading or silencing abnormal heart rate patterns.
- Delay in ordering an emergency C-section – prolonging oxygen deprivation while labor stalls.
- Improper use of labor drugs or anesthesia – excessive contractions or maternal low blood pressure.
- Undiagnosed umbilical cord problems – compression, knots, or a prolapsed cord left uncorrected.
- Lack of prenatal surveillance – missed placental insufficiency or growth restriction.
- Untreated maternal conditions – preeclampsia, infection, or uncontrolled diabetes.
Each error breaks the standard of care. When North Bethesda fetal acidosis attorney Jonathan Schochor reviews medical charts, these lapses often reveal why a healthy pregnancy turned tragic.
Rare but Serious Conditions That Also Cause Fetal Acidosis
Uncommon complications still demand competent care:
- Unrecognized maternal infection such as chorioamnionitis can trigger rapid oxygen loss.
- Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) deprives one twin of blood and oxygen unless specialists intervene.
- Maternal trauma like a late-pregnancy car crash may cause placental abruption and sudden hypoxia.
- Undiagnosed gestational diabetes can lead to a difficult delivery and cord compression.
The North Bethesda birth injury attorneys at our firm consult medical experts to prove how providers should have managed these high-risk events.
What Signs of Fetal Distress Should Doctors Recognize?
Abnormal fetal heart tones are the clearest danger sign. Late decelerations, bradycardia, or tachycardia demand immediate action. Additional red flags include decreased fetal movement, meconium-stained fluid, or a scalp blood pH below 7.2. Trained professionals must respond at once; any delay places the baby at needless risk.
What Injuries Can Fetal Acidosis Cause in a Newborn?
Oxygen deprivation can leave lifelong scars: cerebral palsy, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, seizure disorders, cognitive delays, motor impairment, speech or vision loss, organ damage, and, most tragically, death. The severity depends on how long oxygen was absent, underscoring why quick medical action is critical.
Do I Have a Medical Malpractice Claim for Fetal Acidosis in Maryland?
You may have a claim when a provider’s negligence causes injury. Doctors owe every patient a reasonable standard of care. If nurses ignored distress strips or the obstetrician delayed a necessary C-section, and your baby was hurt, malpractice likely occurred.
Potential defendants include the delivering physician, labor nurses, and the hospital itself. North Bethesda fetal acidosis lawyer Kerry Staton secures expert testimony and fetal monitor data to prove duty, breach, causation, and harm.
What Compensation Can Our Family Recover?
A successful birth-injury lawsuit can pay for:
- Medical expenses—past and lifelong treatment, surgery, and medications.
- Therapies and rehabilitation—physical, occupational, and speech sessions.
- Special equipment and home modifications—wheelchairs, lifts, ramps.
- Long-term or in-home nursing care for severe disabilities.
- Loss of future earning capacity when your child cannot work as an adult.
- Non-economic damages—pain, suffering, and loss of life’s pleasures (capped under Maryland law, currently about $875,000).
We work with economists to project every dollar your child will need so you can focus on care, not bills.
How Long Do I Have to File a Birth-Injury Lawsuit in Maryland?
Maryland generally requires filing within five years of the injury or three years from discovery, whichever comes first. Because the victim is a minor, the child’s own claim can be filed until age 21, but parents’ financial claims may expire much sooner. Early action lets us gather fresh evidence and satisfy Maryland’s expert certificate requirement without racing the clock.
Why North Bethesda Families Choose Schochor, Staton, Goldberg & Cardea, P.A.
Our record speaks for itself. North Bethesda birth-injury attorney Jonathan Schochor and Maryland fetal acidosis lawyer Kerry Staton have recovered hundreds of millions for injured children, including multi-million-dollar settlements for delayed C-sections at local hospitals. We combine courtroom skill with genuine compassion.
We know Montgomery County courts, local hospitals such as Suburban Hospital, and the experts who testify here. Our contingency-fee model means you pay nothing unless we win. Let our 40-plus years of experience and medical knowledge light the path forward for your family.
“Kerry Staton and Josh Kahn handled my case extremely well. From the first contact up to the outcome, along with team (sic), they were very professional and provided great counsel.” –Laetitia March-Nulton
Ready to Talk?
Your child deserves every opportunity for a healthy future. Call (443) 909-2792 or fill out our online form for a free, no-obligation case review. Our North Bethesda fetal acidosis attorneys are ready to listen, investigate, and fight for the justice your family deserves today and for years to come.