Gestational diabetes represents a threat to the health of both a baby and a mother during pregnancy. This condition is common, and serious complications are often avoidable with treatment. Still, the failure to diagnose or treat gestational diabetes could have lasting health consequences.
There are signs of gestational diabetes that should be clear to anyone with medical training. It is the doctor’s duty to diagnose and address gestational diabetes, and failure to do so can have devastating consequences. Any delayed or missed diagnosis of gestational diabetes has the potential to lead to a significant claim for compensation.
If you are dealing with the consequences of gestational diabetes due to delayed diagnosis, you could be a victim of medical malpractice. A failure to diagnose gestational diabetes lawyer can assist you in holding a negligent doctor accountable for their substandard care. Contact the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today at (800) 222-9529 to schedule your free consultation.
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Understanding Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is fairly common among pregnant women in the United States. According to Johns Hopkins, between three and eight percent of all women are ultimately diagnosed with gestational diabetes in their lifetime. This condition differs from type 1 diabetes in that it does not occur due to a lack of insulin production in the body.
Instead, this condition occurs when the hormones required to maintain a pregnancy can diminish the strength of insulin. Hormones like estrogen can counter the effects of insulin at roughly the 20-week mark in a pregnancy.
The risk of a contra-insulin effect continues to grow along with the growth of the placenta. Gestational diabetes occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin to overcome this counter-effect caused by pregnancy hormones.
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Signs of Gestational Diabetes
One of the difficult aspects of gestational diabetes is that this condition does not always result in visible symptoms. Typically, medical professionals conduct extensive testing and monitoring to detect this condition. The most accurate test for gestational diabetes is an oral glucose test. Typically, this test is given between the 24th and 28th weeks. It is important, however, for those with high-risk factors to obtain this test earlier in the pregnancy.
That being said, there are some physical symptoms that are common with gestational diabetes. Some of the signs to look for include:
- Lethargy
- Fatigue
- Blurry vision
- Increased urination
- Dry mouth
- Increased thirst
- Frequent infections
- Nausea after eating
- Tingling in the feet or hands
While these are viable symptoms for gestational diabetes, they are also markers for other conditions. To avoid confusion, it is vital that your doctors carefully monitor you to detect gestational diabetes throughout your pregnancy.
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Gestational Diabetes Can Cause Health Complications for the Baby
There are real health consequences of gestational diabetes for the fetus. Like the mother, the baby will also face raised glucose levels due to this condition. This will push the baby’s pancreas to produce additional insulin in an effort to rid itself of the extra glucose. High glucose in the baby’s bloodstream can have serious health effects, including:
- Fetal macrosomia
- Brachial plexus birth injury
- Infant respiratory distress syndrome
- Social dystocia
- Stillbirth
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How Gestational Diabetes Can Affect the Mother
The complications of gestational diabetes are also potentially severe for the mother. In serious cases, these consequences could include the development of conditions like preeclampsia. Preeclampsia involves a spike in the mother’s blood pressure, which could cause organ damage or even become fatal.
Other health consequences could include placental abruption. This condition occurs when the placenta detaches from the uterus of the mother, starving the baby of nutrients. This could require emergency cesarean sections in severe cases. Other consequences could include:
- Heart disease
- Blood vessel damage
- Low blood flow
- HELLP Syndrome
How a Failure to Diagnose Gestational Diabetes Lawyer Could Help
If your doctor diagnoses gestational diabetes early on in the process, it could be possible to monitor and treat it appropriately. With timely intervention, you can avoid most, if not all, of the adverse effects of gestational diabetes. It is the duty of your medical care professionals to recognize the signs of this condition and treat it in a timely manner.
Some instances of gestational diabetes are unavoidable, and the adverse effects of this condition will not always stem from medical malpractice. However, if your doctor negligently fails to diagnose your condition, they could face liability for any injuries that result for you or your baby.
An attorney can carefully review your case to determine if your doctors provided the appropriate standard of care. If your attorney determines that your medical care did not meet the necessary standard, they could pursue a legal claim on your behalf. This will include conducting discovery in an effort to develop the strongest case possible and negotiating a potential settlement with the doctor or facility at fault for your injuries.
Your choice of attorney could have a dramatic impact on your chances of recovering compensation. To get the help you need from a failure to diagnose gestational diabetes lawyer, contact the Birth Injuries Lawyers Group at (800) 222-9529 today.
You Could Recover Compensation Due to the Misdiagnosis of Gestational Diabetes
If your OBGYN failed to diagnose and treat your gestational diabetes, they could face liability for any injuries to you or your baby. The Birth Injury Lawyers Group could assist you with holding negligent medical care providers accountable for their mistakes.
To discuss your claim in-depth, call (800) 222-9529 to schedule a free consultation.
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