If your baby suffered fetal acidosis during delivery in Odenton, you deserve clear answers and strong legal help. Jonathan Schochor and Kerry Staton lead our birth-injury practice at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A., and we are ready to guide your family toward accountability and support.
Take the first step toward answers and accountability. Call 410-234-1000 or send us a secure message now for a free, no-obligation case review with our Odenton fetal acidosis attorneys. We’re ready to listen, explain your options, and fight for your child’s future.
What Is Fetal Acidosis and Why Does It Happen?
Fetal acidosis is a buildup of acid in a newborn’s blood caused by oxygen deprivation before or during birth. The condition is typically confirmed when a baby’s umbilical cord blood shows a pH below 7.35.
Common causes of fetal acidosis include:
- Umbilical cord problems such as compression, prolapse, or the cord wrapping around the baby’s neck.
- Placental insufficiency or abruptions that block oxygen flow.
- Prolonged or obstructed labor where shoulder dystocia or a large baby delays delivery.
- Misuse of labor drugs like excessive Pitocin that overstimulates contractions.
- Maternal emergencies such as severe hypotension or untreated anemia.
These events deprive the fetus of oxygen, causing carbon dioxide levels to rise and acid to accumulate. Quick medical responses usually prevent permanent harm, so avoidable delays raise serious red flags.
How Can You Tell If Your Baby Was in Distress or Acidosis?
Doctors and nurses should recognize fetal distress long before injury occurs. Warning signs include an abnormal fetal heart rhythm, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, weak or absent movement during labor, and a low Apgar score at one and five minutes.
After birth, a blue or floppy appearance, seizures, or the need for immediate resuscitation may signal that fetal acidosis occurred. When these indicators were present yet unaddressed, an Odenton fetal acidosis attorney at our firm can investigate whether proper protocols were ignored.
Could Fetal Acidosis Have Been Prevented?
Many fetal acidosis injuries are avoidable when providers follow accepted standards of care. Continuous electronic monitoring, maternal oxygen, IV fluids, or simply repositioning the mother can restore fetal oxygenation quickly.
If distress persists, an emergency C-section should be ordered without delay. Failure to take these straightforward steps can breach the medical standard and expose infants to irreversible brain damage. As Odenton fetal acidosis lawyers, we analyze every action—or inaction—to see where prevention broke down.
What Injuries Can Fetal Acidosis Cause?
When oxygen starvation lasts more than a few minutes, permanent harm is likely. Potential outcomes include:
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) leading to lifelong motor or cognitive impairments.
- Cerebral palsy affecting movement, speech, or sensory functions.
- Seizure disorders and developmental delays.
- Organ damage to the heart, kidneys, or liver.
- Stillbirth or neonatal death in the most severe cases.
These conditions demand expensive medical care, therapy, and adaptive equipment—costs no family should shoulder alone when negligence is to blame.
