Negligent Perineal Care in Childbirth and How to Claim Compensation
When a woman gives birth through the vagina, her perineum, the area between the vagina and the anus, is put under considerable pressure. Not surprisingly, this often causes a tear to occur from the vagina into the skin and muscle nearby. Unfortunately, a tear occasionally travels further and causes far more damage requiring a repair by an experienced surgeon. This occurs to around five percent of women.
This is a known risk which particularly affects new mothers, women who have required an instrumental delivery, women giving birth to a large baby and women of Asian ethnicity.
Consequently, maternity professionals should ensure that extremely careful monitoring of the new mother's perineum is carried out including a digital rectal examination following the birth of the baby.
A failure to carry out such an examination can mean that severe damage to the muscles around the anus is not identified. As a result, no repair will be carried out and the new mother may face a lifetime of highly distressing and life-changing bowel dysfunction.
When this occurs, or other forms of negligence such as a misdiagnosis of a 3rd or 4th degree tear, the new mother is legally entitled to claim compensation for the financial losses which the negligence has caused her to suffer.
The impact of perineal negligence
An unrepaired 3rd or 4th degree tear can leave a woman struggling with incontinence of wind and faeces. Not only can this be distressing and socially embarrassing, it can also affect a woman's capacity to work.
She may find that her former employment, such as education, hospitality or healthcare, is no longer possible and she may, as a result, suffer a significant loss of earnings.
She may require specialist treatment or therapy to help her to cope with her debilitating symptoms and this may be extremely costly.
Claiming compensation
Financial losses such as those outlined above would be included in a successful compensation claim where the maternity professionals have been found to have been negligent in their perineal care.
If you think that you have been the victim of negligent maternity care, contact us here at Glynns Solicitors to discuss the possibility of making a claim. Exclusive specialists in medical negligence law, we offer extensive expertise in birth tear claims and fully understand the distress and disability which these injuries can cause.
Ring us today for a free consultation with an experienced solicitor.
We can offer No Win No Fee medical negligence funding which we will discuss with you during your free initial telephone discussion.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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