The birth of a child is a beautiful and joyous occasion, but it is also one of the most physically demanding experiences that a woman can go through. After childbirth, it is common for women to experience some level of bleeding. However, when bleeding is excessive, this is known as post-partum hemorrhaging, and it can be a serious and potentially life-threatening issue. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the world. It is important for new parents to understand the potential causes of post-partum hemorrhage to ensure that this issue will be addressed correctly.

Reasons Why Post-Partum Hemorrhaging May Occur

During pregnancy, a woman's body produces excess blood, and some of this blood will be lost during the child's delivery. However, blood flow may not stop naturally, and excessive bleeding could result in the loss of too much blood. Some common reasons for significant blood loss following childbirth include:

• Uterine atony - This condition involves the uterus becoming softened and weakened, causing it to fail to fully contract after birth. If the uterus does not contract correctly, the blood vessels that connected the placenta to the uterus may continue to bleed, leading to excessive blood loss. Uterine atony can be caused by various factors, including a stretched or distended uterus due to a large baby, multiple pregnancies, prolonged labor, excessive amniotic fluid, or the use of certain medications.

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Recently, people in the Chicago area were shocked by the revelation that a women's healthcare provider had allegedly been committing healthcare fraud for several years. On March 14, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Dr. Mona Ghosh on 13 counts of fraud. The doctor, who owned and operated a clinic in Hoffman Estates known as Progressive Women’s Healthcare, S.C., has been charged with submitting numerous false claims to private insurance providers and government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. She is accused of obtaining nearly $800,000 in fraudulent payments.

While Dr. Ghosh may face serious penalties for committing fraud, what is even more troubling is how her alleged actions may have affected her patients. In addition to billing for services that were not actually provided, she is also accused of performing unnecessary medical treatments, including endometrial ablations and invasive tests such as endometrial biopsies and screenings for sexually transmitted diseases.

The rate of maternal birth injuries in the United States is on the rise. This is a troubling trend, especially since the rate of maternal injuries and deaths in the U.S. was already much higher than in many other countries. For pregnant mothers and families who have been affected by these issues, it is important to understand what these injuries are, how they can be prevented, and what treatments are available.

Statistics About Maternal Injuries and Deaths

A recent report by the National Center for Health Statistics showed that in 2021, there were 1,205 deaths of pregnant women in the United States. This represented a large increase from 2020, which saw 861 deaths. However, this was also an increase from 754 deaths in 2019, which was around the average number of annual maternal deaths over the past few decades.

Childbirth is notoriously one of the most painful experiences a human body can endure. For many women, an epidural - a very common procedure that relieves pain during labor and childbirth - has made a major difference in the quality of the childbirth experience. However, like all medical procedures, epidurals are not without risks, especially when they are performed by undertrained, negligent, or careless anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists. If you recently had a baby, and the epidural you were given caused serious nerve damage, you may be wondering what legal options are open to you. 

Epidural Nerve Damage and Lawsuits 

Also known as an epidural block, epidural anesthesia, or neuraxial anesthesia, an epidural involves injecting an anesthetic into the area in a patient’s back between the spinal nerves. Epidurals typically result in the complete lack of certain feelings, including pain, from the desired area of the body.  

When a woman dies during pregnancy, childbirth, or in the 42 days following childbirth or the end of a pregnancy, it is considered a maternal mortality. Despite having access to some of the best healthcare in the world, American women suffer from maternal mortality at an alarmingly high rate compared to women in other wealthy, developed nations. Black American women are at a particularly high risk of falling victim to maternal mortality. Tragically, studies suggest that most of these deaths are due to preventable causes and pregnancy complications. 

When a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth, her family is left to deal with overwhelming grief, suffering, and guilt. If your wife, daughter, or mother died as a consequence of poor medical care, you may be eligible to pursue compensation on her behalf. To learn more about ways that women commonly suffer from maternal mortality, read on. 

Leading Causes of Maternal Mortality

One of the unique reasons that American women die during pregnancy or childbirth is that the high cost of the American healthcare system prevents many women from seeking the comprehensive health care they need. This can cause the diagnosis of serious health conditions, such as pre-eclampsia, to be delayed or missed altogether. Other common causes of maternal mortality in the U.S. include: