Free Case Evaluation
Kentucky Preeclampsia Lawyers
More than 50 years of combined representation fighting for pregnancy and birth injury victims
Gynecologists, obstetricians, midwives, and other pregnancy healthcare providers need to monitor expectant mothers for the symptoms and risk factors of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia can lead to severe, possibly fatal, health conditions for both the mother and father. At Crandall & Pera Law, we work with medical experts who can explain why your healthcare providers committed medical malpractice by failing to anticipate, monitor, diagnose, or treat preeclampsia – including having an early delivery of your baby. Our Kentucky preeclampsia lawyers demand compensation for all the personal and financial damages of both the mother and newborn. Call us today to discuss your right to a recovery.
Free Case Evaluation
Table of Contents
- What is preeclampsia?
- What are the symptoms of preeclampsia in Kentucky?
- What are the causes of preeclampsia in Kentucky?
- What are the risk factors for preeclampsia in Kentucky?
- What injuries/complications can occur due to preeclampsia?
- How should doctors diagnose preeclampsia?
- How should doctors treat preeclampsia?
- Why should doctors be held accountable for preeclampsia?
- Do you have a Kentucky preeclampsia lawyer near me?
What is preeclampsia?
According to the Mayo Clinic, preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication that usually starts about 20 weeks after pregnancy. Immediate treatment is necessary to prevent organ damage, other complications, and death. A common remedy is to have an early delivery of the child – balancing such factors as blood pressure and the number of weeks of the pregnancy. Preeclampsia after delivery is known as postpartum preeclampsia.
What are the symptoms of preeclampsia in Kentucky?
At Crandall & Pera Law, we review whether your doctors, nurses, and other medical care professionals monitored, noticed, and responded to the symptoms of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia symptoms include:
- High blood pressure
- Proteinuria (elevated protein urine levels) and other signs of kidney or other organ damage
- Thrombocytopenia – low blood levels
- Increased enzyme levels – which indicate disorders of the liver
- Severe headaches
- Vision difficulties
- Shortness of breath due to fluid in the lungs
- “Pain in the upper belly, usually under the ribs on the right side”
- Vomiting or nausea
- Sudden swelling, especially in the hands and face
Doctors should advise mothers to make and keep regular prenatal visits.
What are the causes of preeclampsia in Kentucky?
According to the Mayo Clinic, preeclampsia generally starts “in the placenta — the organ that nourishes the fetus throughout pregnancy.” Mothers with preeclampsia have problems with the development or working of new blood vessels that develop early in a pregnancy and provide oxygen and nutrients to the placenta. Blood circulation problems may cause irregular blood pressure regulation in the mother.
When doctors look for preeclampsia, they should also look for other blood pressure disorders including gestational hypertension, chronic hypertension, and chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia which “occurs in women diagnosed with chronic high blood pressure before pregnancy, who then develop worsening high blood pressure and protein in the urine or other health complications during pregnancy.”
What are the risk factors for preeclampsia in Kentucky?
Our Kentucky preeclampsia lawyers review whether your medical professionals checked you for the risk factors of preeclampsia.
High-risk factors include:
- A prior pregnancy with preeclampsia
- More than one fetus
- Hypertension – chronic high blood pressure
- Kidney disease
- Type 1 or type 2 diabetes before pregnancy
- In vitro fertilization
- Autoimmune disorders
Moderate-risk factors include:
- Obesity
- First pregnancy with current partner
- A family history of preeclampsia
- The mother is 35 or older
- Complications in a prior pregnancy
- A gap of more than 10 years between this pregnancy and the last pregnancy
What injuries/complications can occur due to preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia that does not receive proper medical care can result in many different injuries, including:
- Fetal growth restriction. Your newborn may not get enough blood, oxygen, and nutrients because preeclampsia affects the flow of blood to the placenta.
- Preterm birth. Severe preeclampsia may necessitate delivering the baby before 37 weeks, which increases the possibilities of feeding and breathing difficulties, hearing and vision injuries, cerebral palsy, and developmental delays. “Treatments before preterm delivery may decrease some risks.”
- Placental abruption. This condition involves the separation of the placenta from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery. Severe abruption can be life-threatening for both the mother and baby.
- Hemolysis elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome.Hemolysis is the destruction of red blood cells. HELLP also involves elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count. HELLP affects several organ systems, “is life-threatening to the mother and baby, and may cause lifelong health problems for the mother.”
- “Eclampsia is the onset of seizures or coma with signs or symptoms of preeclampsia. It is very difficult to predict whether a patient with preeclampsia will develop eclampsia. Eclampsia can happen without any previously observed signs or symptoms of preeclampsia.”
- Organ damage.Preeclampsia can damage “the kidneys, liver, lung, heart, or eyes, and may cause a stroke or other brain injury.”
- Heart disease. Preeclampsia may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease – especially “if you've had preeclampsia more than once or you've had a preterm delivery.”
The Mayo Clinic suggests that mothers at risk of preeclampsia take “an 81-milligram aspirin tablet daily after 12 weeks of pregnancy”
How should doctors diagnose preeclampsia?
Gynecologists and family doctors generally diagnose preeclampsia if you have high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy and one or more of the following conditions:
- Protein in your urine, which indicates a kidney impairment
- Any other signs of kidney impairment
- A low blood platelet count
- Elevated liver enzymes
- Fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema)
- Headaches that continue after taking pain medication
- New vision difficulties
Other diagnostic tests for preeclampsia include:
- Blood tests to measure how well the liver and kidneys are working and blood platelet levels.
- Urine analysis to assess any kidney damage
- A fetal ultrasound to examine the growth of your baby
A nonstress test to determine your baby’s heart rate and a biophysical profile, which “uses an ultrasound to measure your baby's breathing, muscle tone, movement and the volume of amniotic fluid in your uterus.”
How should doctors treat preeclampsia?
Our Kentucky preeclampsia lawyers will review what treatments your healthcare providers did provide and which ones they failed to provide. The main treatment for preeclampsia is “either to deliver the baby or manage the condition until the best time to deliver the baby,” depending on the health of the mother and baby, the severity of the preeclampsia, and the length of the pregnancy.
In less severe cases, daily blood pressure exams are used. For more severe cases of preeclampsia, the treatment generally requires hospitalization to monitor your blood pressure and the possible complications and the health of your baby.
Medications may include:
- “Antihypertensive drugs to lower blood pressure
- Anticonvulsant medication, such as magnesium sulfate, to prevent seizures
- Corticosteroids to promote the development of your baby's lungs before delivery”
If you have severe preeclampsia, doctors may recommend delivery before 37 weeks, “depending on the severity of complications and the health and readiness of the baby.” Your obstetrics team will also need to review whether to perform a vaginal or a Cesarean delivery.
Mothers should review postpartum care to monitor any remaining preeclampsia symptoms and the mother’s blood pressure.
Why should doctors be held accountable for preeclampsia?
At Crandall & Pera Law, our birth injury lawyers work to show that your pregnancy and delivery doctors committed medical malpractice by failing to use appropriate medical standards, including failing to:
- Monitor the mother and baby for signs of preeclampsia
- Examine whether the risk factors for preeclampsia are present
- Properly diagnose preeclampsia
- Properly treat preeclampsia
- Explain when mothers should contact their doctors if the signs of preeclampsia develop
- Comply with acceptable medical standards for pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum medical care
We demand compensation for all current and future damages (for both mother and baby), including medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, loss of life’s pleasures, loss of bodily function, and other damages.
Our Kentucky wrongful death lawyers file wrongful death claims if preeclampsia care is negligent and causes the mother and/or baby to die.
Do you have a Kentucky preeclampsia lawyer near me?
Yes. We meet mothers, fathers, and children at our Lexington, Kentucky, office located at 201 E Main St., Suite 530. Our lawyers discuss cases by phone and through online video consultations. If your injuries or illness (or your newborn’s injuries or illnesses) prevent you from coming to our office, we can make arrangements to see you in another location.
Our lawyers have helped many medical patients just like you obtain the strong recoveries they deserve for medical malpractice.
Get help from our respected Kentucky medical malpractice lawyers now
At Crandall & Pera Law, we’re here to answer your questions and explain your rights. Our Kentucky preeclampsia lawyers understand the unique challenges involved in holding doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare professionals liable for medical malpractice. Please phone us or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation. Our lawyers handle preeclampsia claims on a contingency fee basis.