Widespread Negligence in U.S. Hospitals Is Leading to Preventable Maternal Deaths

Widespread Negligence in U.S. Hospitals Is Leading to Preventable Maternal DeathsEvery year in the U.S., about 50,000 women suffer serious injuries during the process of childbirth. Additionally, some 700 mothers lose their lives in what is supposed to be a joyous occasion. As a recent USA Today investigation has discovered, hospitals across the nation are bypassing crucial safety practices that would prevent these maternal injuries and fatalities.

The investigators gained access to more than 500,000 pages of internal hospital records, and analyzed more than 150 childbirth cases involving detrimental outcomes. They also contacted dozens of birthing hospitals and interviewed staff members to determine if these facilities followed recommended care procedures. Additionally, USA Today spoke with a number of families that were bereaved of their loved ones, as well as women who suffered long-term physical harm during their birthing experience.

The findings of the study reveal several key failures throughout the medical industry, leading to unnecessary injuries and deaths of pregnant mothers.

Failure to monitor blood loss and blood pressure levels

The top causes for childbirth injuries and deaths among mothers are severe hypertension and hemorrhage, according to the investigation. In order to treat and manage these conditions properly, healthcare providers must closely monitor patients’ levels of blood loss and blood pressure.

However, investigators for USA Today discovered that many hospitals throughout the country are only estimating how much blood a woman has lost during childbirth, instead of carefully measuring the loss as a warning indicator.

After examining records for dozens of hospitals in the Carolinas, Pennsylvania, and New York for the period between 2015 and 2016, the publication found that less than half of pregnant mothers were treated for high blood pressure promptly, which placed them at greater risk for stroke or seizures. In some hospitals, less than 15 percent of mothers were promptly treated for this issue.

Failure of maternal care in North and South Carolina hospitals

The USA Today study mentions a number of specific patient experiences in hospitals throughout North and South Carolina that involved severe complications for the mother due to improper care.

At McLeod Regional Medical Center, a 38-year-old wife and mother, YoLanda Mention, was sent home from the hospital with her newborn while still exhibiting indications of high blood pressure. She subsequently made a return trip to the emergency room with her blood pressure even higher. Allegedly, the hospital left her sitting in the waiting room where she underwent a stroke leading to her death.

The newspaper reported that At Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Charleston, SC, nearly two-thirds of mothers failed to receive proper treatment. They also reported that at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC, medical providers at that facility failed to provide 40 percent of mothers with prompt blood pressure treatments. Failure rates were even higher at Carolinas HealthCare System NorthEast in Concord – 78 percent – and at Stanly Regional Medical Center in Albermarie – 90 percent.

The failure rate at Alamance Regional Medical Center in Burlington, NC was nearly 100 percent, per the report.

Investigators uncovered federal records that showed medical personnel at Women’s Hospital in Greensboro, NC, placed thousands of mothers at risk by their slow reaction to maternal high blood pressure conditions.

The report also reveals how the states rank in terms of maternal injuries and deaths. The state of Louisiana has the highest maternal death rate (58.1 deaths per 100,000 births). Georgia and Indiana come in second and third, respectively.

If you or your baby has suffered a serious injury or health complication due to the negligent actions of a hospital in North or South Carolina, the birth injury attorneys at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC are able to fight on your behalf for justice and compensation. Let us evaluate your case and review your options together. To set up a free consultation, call our law office today at 803-327-7800 or send us a request through our contact form.