Bacterial Vaginosis & Birth Injury Malpractice

Can you get compensation for a birth injury caused by bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy?

No expectant mother wants to deal with complications related to her pregnancy. She just wants to have a healthy pregnancy and to give birth to a healthy child.

When it comes to ensuring that everything goes smoothly in a pregnancy, we often put our trust completely into medical professionals‘ hands. Most of the time, they treat us with the professionalism and expertise that we need to ensure that our families remain healthy and safe.

However, there are unfortunate instances where doctors we trust act in a negligent fashion which leaves us injured or grievously harmed. While medical malpractice is always horrifying, it’s particularly egregious when an expectant mother or newborn child is the injured party.

One example of birth injury malpractice is undiagnosed and untreated bacterial vaginosis. Continue reading to learn more about this condition and how it can cause serious complications for you and your baby if your doctor fails to detect it and administer the proper medical care.

What is bacterial vaginosis?

First and foremost, let’s debunk one of the most common misconceptions surrounding bacterial vaginosis— that it’s somehow the fault of the sufferer. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is not a sexually transmitted infection, nor is it caused by a lack of good hygiene. Although it is a bacteria-related condition, women with flawless hygiene routines may still contract this condition.

Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an imbalance of bacteria within a woman’s vagina, but it usually has to do with hormone fluctuations rather than hygiene. Since it’s related to hormonal changes, many women who previously didn’t suffer from BV will contract a bacterial infection during pregnancy. If this happens to you during pregnancy, understand that it’s completely normal and nothing to be ashamed of.

Bacterial vaginosis is unpleasant for the sufferer, as it can cause itching, pain and an unpleasant odor. Thankfully, it can be treated relatively easily with a course of antibiotics. For pregnant sufferers, it’s essential that BV is detected and treated as soon as possible.

What happens if my doctor fails to detect my bacterial vaginosis?

During labor and delivery, BV can create serious complications if a doctor fails to detect and treat the problem. Bacterial vaginosis can lead to premature delivery, low birth weight or even miscarriage. While this condition is relatively harmless to women who aren’t pregnant, it can be devastating to expectant mothers if left untreated.

This is why it’s important to always share any symptoms that you may be experiencing that seem out of the ordinary with your doctor during your pregnancy. A competent physician should be able to recognize these symptoms as bacterial vaginosis and administer the proper course of treatment to prevent further injury or suffering for both mother and baby.

What if I or my baby suffer complications due to untreated BV?

For any would-be mother who has suffered complications or miscarriage due to untreated bacterial vaginosis, there is nothing more traumatizing than to realize that you and your child unnecessarily suffered due to a condition that, had it been properly detected, could’ve been easily treated.

While there are no guarantees when it comes to any medical condition, the majority of pregnant mothers with BV will experience no complications if the condition is treated as soon as it’s detected.

If you’ve suffered complications related to your pregnancy after your doctor failed to detect your bacterial vaginosis or dismissed your symptoms, you may have been the victim of medical negligence. Sadly, birth injury malpractice cases are all too common. Many doctors will dismiss women’s legitimate grievances as melodramatics, believing that they are simply making too big a deal over routine pregnancy symptoms.

If you believe that you’ve been the victim of birth injury malpractice, both you and your baby deserve justice and fairness. The first step is to reach out and contact a team of legal professionals who are prepared to fight for the rights of you and your child. This is one of the most difficult situations a woman will ever face, so it’s important that you don’t try to enter this fight alone.

The team at Brown Trial Firm wants to help. Our legal professionals are well-versed in this area of law and will treat your case with compassion, empathy and a passion to achieve justice for you and your child. We are proud to serve families nationwide, so please contact us today if you need someone to talk to about your options related to your malpractice-caused birth injury.