Harlem Hospital in New York City is facing a medical malpractice lawsuit from the husband of a woman who died mere hours after prematurely giving birth.
Additional reports tell us that this case and others like it are, sadly, becoming more and more common.
The Case at a Glance
The night before her death, the mother was admitted to Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital because of contractions. After being examined, she was discharged.
The following morning, her contractions became more extreme and she eventually went into labor. A neighbor helped her deliver the child.
Afterward, the mother was taken to Harlem Hospital because the placenta had yet to be delivered. While medical team members tried to manually remove the placenta, she went into shock and her blood pressure dropped dramatically – signally a hemorrhage.
She eventually and tragically lost her life.
Husband Left In Dark After Doctors Request Exploratory Procedure
According to the lawsuit, the husband says that he was asked by medical personnel if they could perform an “exploratory procedure” – even though he was left completely in the dark about the severity of his wife’s condition.
His lawsuit also states that the cause of his wife’s internal bleeding was never identified by the doctors and, apparently, no immediate action was taken to treat it.
The rise of Maternal Mortality in the U.S.?
According to reports, the U.S. is among one of only eight countries in the world where the number of women losing their lives from pregnancy and childbirth is actually increasing.
Hard numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tell us that more than 25 years ago, there were 7.2 deaths of mothers for every 100,000 live births in the U.S. In 2011, the number skyrocketed to 17.8 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Among the suspected causes are obesity-related complications (hypertension and diabetes), a sharp increase in the number of cesarean section births, poor access to quality health care and more mothers giving birth at older ages.
Cowboy Attitude of Doctors to Blame?
Dr. Michael Brodman works for the Mount Sinai Health System in New York. About the rising mortality rates of mothers, Brodman points to different standards and protocols at hospitals nationwide.
“If you’re in Sweden, everyone is treated the same way. If you’re in New York, you treated one way. If you’re in Buffalo, you get treated another way,” he said. “(Many doctors have the) ‘No one tells me to wear a helmet when I’m riding my motorcycle; I am allowed do what I want’ mentality. In health care, that doesn’t work.”
Call The Fitzgerald Law Firm If You’ve Experienced Medical Malpractice
The trend of maternal mortality is most disturbing. We’ll keep researching this topic and bring you the latest news.
If you or a loved one has experienced an injury because of medical malpractice or hospital negligence, get in touch with us here at The Fitzgerald Law Firm. We’ll fight to protect your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve.
The first consultation is always free, so call us at 800-323-9900.