A doctor’s work is not finished when a new baby arrives. As a tragic new lawsuit demonstrates, safe care requires doctors and hospitals to carefully monitor mothers after a birth. If the mother complains of dangerous symptoms, doctors have a responsibility to try to diagnose and treat the problem. One
It might come as a surprise to many Ohio parents to learn that pediatric stroke is one of the ten most common causes of death for children in the United States. An estimated 3,000 children have a stroke every year, often within the first weeks of life. While most children
One of the most comprehensive studies to date backed up previous conclusions that smoke-free laws help reduce the rate of preterm births. These researchers looked at a three-phase smoking ban and tracked how each new stage affected the rate of premature deliveries. This analysis showed a significant improvement – especially
Electronic health records or “EHRs” have taken over American hospitals in the last ten years. Proponents hoped that using electronic documentation would improve patient safety – all caregivers would have immediate online access to all of the patient’s medical information in the same place. According to a recent study, however,
One of the most serious delivery complications is known as shoulder dystocia. While shoulder dystocia should not lead to permanent consequences – but if a doctor, nurse or midwife makes any mistakes, any kind of dystocia can lead to serious problems for the mother and baby. If a doctor fails
The parents of a Midwestern woman recently received a $100 million verdict in their wrongful death case against one midwife, the woman’s husband, and others involved in her botched home birth. This case is a sad example of how important it is to choose a careful and experienced midwife to
Millions of TV viewers in Ohio and around the nation tuned into an unusual twist on the current season of the hit show “The Bachelor.” Sarah Herron, one of the women competing to win the affections of Sean Lowe stands apart from the other contestants in an interesting way: she
Our last post introduced a type of in-utero injury known as amniotic band syndrome. This condition occurs when fibrous strands break away from the amniotic sac and entwine around a fetus’s limbs or fingers. The strands can constrict blood flow enough to amputate or severely damage the limb or digits.
According to a disturbing new study, hospitals and doctors almost never tell patients about medication mistakes. Dosage errors can have big consequences for patients – without information about what happened, many people may be at more risk of suffering serious harms. Like many cases of medical malpractice, this is just
Spoiler alert: If you are one of the millions of American Downton Abbey fans and have yet to watch the most recent episode, this post will contain spoilers about a surprising twist. Now in its third season, Downton Abbey scarcely requires introduction. The incredibly popular PBS show, an import from