Can Untreated Maternal Infection Hurt a Fetus? | IL

 Posted on September 05, 2024 in Infections

When you are pregnant, health concerns change because, in addition to taking care of your own health, you are already starting to take care of your baby. Pregnant women often change their diet, exercise, lifestyle, and other habits to encourage safe and healthy development for their babies. During the nine months of pregnancy, there are regular checkups and scans intended to monitor the baby’s growth and warn of any developing issues.

However, pregnant women are just as prone as anyone else to contract infections. If they are not treated promptly, some maternal infections can pose a serious fetal harm. If your baby was harmed due to an untreated maternal infection, speak with a compassionate Chicago, IL birth injury attorney to review your options.

Common Maternal Infections that Can Harm the Baby

Several different types of maternal infections can cause serious harm to a baby if they are not treated promptly, including:

• Chicken Pox: Due to high vaccination rates against chicken pox, it is rare for adults to become infected. However, if a pregnant woman does get infected and it goes unnoticed, the baby could develop congenital varicella syndrome (CVS). If it goes untreated, it could cause birth defects, vision problems, miscarriage, or late fetal death.

• Urinary Tract Infection: These bladder infections are fairly common among pregnant women and generally harmless. However, they can pose a risk to a developing baby’s kidneys. Untreated UTIs can also lead to early labor and low birth weight.

• Toxoplasmosis: This infection is caused by a parasite that can harm a woman’s placenta and the baby. It generally does not present harmful symptoms for the mother and can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early. If it goes untreated, it can cause a stillbirth, a baby born with long-term structural and neurological damage, miscarriage, or death soon after birth.

• Group B Streptococcus (GBS): This bacterial infection in the intestinal tract needs to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. Otherwise, it could lead to stillbirth, loss of hearing or vision, cerebral palsy, and disabilities.

Liability for Untreated Maternal Infection

Pregnant women need to regularly undergo testing, scans, and checkups, with good reason. Any issues that come up need to be detected as soon as possible so they can be treated to avoid long-term and potentially fatal results. Depending on the specific case, liability might fall on:

• Health care providers, like the mother’s primary physician, OBGYN, or labor and delivery staff for failing to provide appropriate medical care and respond to infections in time.

• The hospital, if an administrative or laboratory mistake led to inaccurate test results or poor sanitary conditions in the hospital led to the infection.

• Pharmaceutical companies if defective drugs fail to treat the infection or exacerbate the problem.

Liability can be determined through reviewing medical records to see whether appropriate medical care was provided, expert testimony to determine whether the care provided met the standard of practice, and legal proceedings to assess negligence and determine compensation for damages.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Cook County, IL Birth Injury Attorney

If an untreated maternal infection has led to your baby being harmed or worse, speak with a Chicago, IL birth injury lawyer to understand your options. When facing tragedy, you do not have to be on your own as you try to hold the guilty parties responsible. At Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd., we are passionate about holding people accountable for their mistakes, getting victims the compensation they deserve, and preventing these mistakes from happening again. Call us at 312-462-4200 to schedule a free consultation.