How Do You Treat Chorioamnionitis?

The way you treat chorioamnionitis can vary based on the age of the patient, severity of the condition, and a variety of other factors. A patient with this ailment can often expect treatment to involve antibiotics since chorioamnionitis is a bacterial infection. Inducing labor is also a necessity in many cases due to the effects that this infection can have on a fetus.

Chorioamnionitis

Chorioamnionitis is a bacterial infection of the placenta and amniotic fluid. It can appear as a number of symptoms common to other infections, symptoms like fever and excessive sweating, along with more unique indicators like a tender uterus, pelvic pain, and discharge.

Treatment Methods for Chorioamnionitis

There are two primary treatments for chorioamnionitis:

• Antibiotics: often prescribed when the condition is found because this is a bacterial infection. Antibiotics can also be used when amniorrhexis (the water breaking) occurs prematurely as a safeguard against the development of chorioamnionitis.
• Induced labor: chorioamnionitis often makes induced labor a necessity, which is done to help both the baby and the mother avoid further complications.

The Link Between Chorioamnionitis and Early Labor

Chorioamnionitis often leads to a baby being delivered earlier, as in this study cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A patient who presented with this infection ended up delivering nine days into their treatment, just 23 weeks into gestation.

According to another study from the Clinics in Perinatology, only around one to four percent of births in the United States are complicated by chorioamnionitis. Look at the numbers for early births, however, and you will see a major difference. When you evaluate preterm births, chorioamnionitis can complicate somewhere between 40 and 70 percent of them.

Because health complications can arise from preterm births and chorioamnionitis is common among women who give birth prematurely, the proper treatment of this bacterial infection is important. Improper treatment of the mother of the child could entitle you to damages.

What Can Happen if Chorioamnionitis Is Not Treated

Because chorioamnionitis can cause health problems for the pregnant mother and the infant, quick and proper treatment is a necessity. Neglecting treatment could lead to complications for the mother, including:

• Bloodstream infection
• Postpartum bleeding
• Septic shock
• The development of other medical issues, like acute respiratory distress syndrome

For the child, complications could include:

• Brain damage
• Other types of infection, including sepsis
• Increased risk of developing cerebral palsy
• Increased likelihood of suffering from seizures
• Death

When You Could Be Entitled to Damages

Chorioamnionitis is a serious condition that can lead to complications and future issues for both the mother and the child. You may be entitled to damages if you had this infection and were not treated properly. Potential damages could include:

• Medical expenses
• Future expenses—if the mother or child needs future treatment due to complications
• Lost wages—if complications from chorioamnionitis kept you out of work
• Reduced quality of life—if injuries and complications keep you from doing something you once enjoyed
• Pain and suffering

If you believe that a medical professional was neglectful and that you or a loved one did not receive the care and treatment that they should have, you may want to get a free case review.

How a Birth Injury Lawyer Can Help

If you decide to pursue damages, a birth injury lawyer can assist you. A lawyer can take care of every aspect of your suit, including:

• Gathering medical documentation
• Building and making your case
• Talking to witnesses
• Consulting with medical experts
• Finding the liable parties
• Handling all communications for you
• Representing you in court if necessary

If you suffered injuries due to the failure of your doctor or the hospital to treat chorioamnionitis during your pregnancy, you may be eligible to pursue compensation. For a free case review, call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today at (800) 222-9529. We can help you file your case before the statute of limitations in your state runs out, and we only get paid if you recover damages.