Medical malpractice is among the primary causes of hypoxic-Ischemic encephalopathy. Providers often make mistakes during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or shortly after birth that lead to or fail to treat oxygen deprivation to a child’s brain.

Many types of medical errors harm children and cause HIE or other types of birth injuries. The following are among the most common:

• Failure to identify and respond to obstetric complications: Placental abruption, umbilical cord issues, and prolonged labor all put infants at risk of HIE. Providers must identify these issues and respond promptly with treatment, including an emergency C-section when appropriate.
• Monitoring failures and delayed interventions: Medical staff must closely monitor fetal heart rate monitors throughout labor and delivery to avoid placing infants at risk.
• Inadequate prenatal care: Maternal infections and other complications during pregnancy must be addressed promptly and effectively to prevent damage to an infant’s developing brain.
• Unsafe use of the forceps or vacuum: Aggressive or inappropriate use of delivery devices can result in complications that deprive the infant’s brain of oxygen.
• Medication errors: Improper use of medication, delivering the incorrect dose, or failure to monitor responses to medication, such as contraction strength after pitocin administration, could lead to an interruption of blood flow or oxygen to the brain.
• Failure to treat issues after birth: If a newborn needs resuscitation or treatment for complications after birth and providers fail to provide appropriate care, this could cause HIE. For instance, medical professionals may fail to provide HIE cooling treatment, which can limit the damage caused by interruptions in blood flow or oxygen.