When you are a new mother, you look forward to raising and taking care of your child. But sometimes, you can develop complications after birth. If doctors do not respond to these complications right away with proper treatment, they can cause you serious injury or death.
Most new mothers expect childbirth to be the most painful part of pregnancy. But for some Louisiana women, the pain may be after the birth. A USA Today report investigated the reasons behind the rising rate of maternal injury and death at hospitals in 13 states. The report found 120 hospitals across the country with significantly higher rates of maternal injury and death. Here is some of what they found:
- Most hospitals blame the mother’s health and lifestyle – When hospitals have high rates of maternal injury and death, they blame the unhealthy lifestyle of the women who live in the area. This is especially common with hospitals that serve areas with high rates of poverty. But the report showed that the hospitals with the highest rates of maternal injury and death affected all women, regardless of race, wealth or insurance.
- Many hospitals rely on inexperienced students and residents – In many of the cases that USA Today looked at, the women did not have access to experienced doctors. Instead, residents and medical students without experience treated the women.
- Doctors did not react quickly to dangerous symptoms – The single cases that USA Today looked at found that doctors were not quick to treat dangerous symptoms. The lack of quick treatment caused one woman to have a fatal stroke. Another developed an infection that, when not treated, led to amputations of her legs and an arm.
When you give birth, you want everything to go smoothly. However, sometimes things can happen that put you at risk. Hospitals and doctors should follow proper procedures to make sure you receive proper treatment for complications.