PRE ECLAMPSIA MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE

Pre-eclampsia is the most common life threatening complication in pregnancy and is caused by a defect in the placenta. The condition is symptom-less in the early stages of pregnancy and is detectable only by regular antenatal checks on the mother's blood pressure and urine and if allowed to develop and progress undetected can potentially result in the death of the mother or child or both of them. To a greater or lesser degree it affects one in 10 pregnancies and one in 50 pregnancies presents a serious problem which, worldwide affects over 1.5 million women resulting in the death of approximately 60,000 women and babies and in addition the condition is associated with approximately 4,000,000 growth restricted babies.

This problem cannot be predicted, reliably prevented or treated to allow the pregnancy to continue. Its prime cause remains unknown and it is only cured only by delivery, which may put some babies at risk of death from prematurity. Those most at risk are first time mothers or where it is ten years or more since the last baby; women over 40; obese women; those with a family history of this condition; sufferers of high blood pressure; diabetes or kidney disease; those expecting a multiple birth and those who have had it before.

There is no cure other than terminating the pregnancy and although adverse maternal consequences can be avoided by an early delivery there may be serious risk to a premature baby and an obstetrician must balance the risks of growth retardation and asphyxia with the risks to the health of the mother.

New scientific developments have indicated that a simple urine test could provide an early warning of pre-eclampsia because women at risk have lower levels of a protein that promotes the growth of blood vessels. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggests that a protein called PIGF could provide a reliable early warning of this condition. This test may predict the condition, which is responsible for the deaths of up to five women a year in Britain, as well as 500 to 600 babies, up to two months before the onset of symptoms.

Obstetrics and gynaecology is one of the main fields that give rise to medical negligence compensation claims. Almost a half of all medical negligence claims are as a result of gynaecological mistakes. Our solicitors are specialists and are all members of The Law Society panel of medical negligence experts, franchised to make an immediate application for legal aid. If you believe that you have suffered from medical negligence and you would like free advice on our Legal Aid and no win no fee claim service then just complete the contact form and a member of The Law Society panel of medical negligence experts will telephone you to discuss your claim.