What Are the First Signs of Hypoxia in Newborns?

Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy, also referred to as neonatal HIE, is a general term used to describe the result of a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the fetal brain. Hypoxia refers to an inadequate supply of oxygen to the brain, and ischemia refers to a reduced supply of blood to the brain. The term encephalopathy describes any type of generalized brain dysfunction or injury.

Oxygen starvation at birth can cause brain injury, leading to motor impairment, learning disabilities, and intellectual deficits. When babies are deprived of oxygen, the tissue and cells within their bodies, especially their brains, begin to die. This causes permanent brain damage, and can potentially lead to permanent disabilities such as cerebral palsy, seizures, cognitive functioning problems, and developmental delays.

What Are the Leading Causes of Hypoxia in Newborns?

There are multiple causes of hypoxia in newborns. Some of these causes are unavoidable. Tragically, in many cases, the underlying cause could have been recognized and managed with appropriate medical care.

Common causes of neonatal HIE include:

• Umbilical Cord Problems. This can include a prolapsed cord, cord compression, or a nuchal cord.
• Placental Abruption. This happens when the placenta separates from the uterus too early.
• Uterine Rupture. This occurs when the uterine wall tears during labor.
• Delayed or Prolonged Delivery. This is most dangerous when doctors fail to respond to fetal or maternal distress.
• Infections During Pregnancy. These can include group B strep, chorioamnionitis, bacterial vaginosis, herpes simplex virus (HSV), and more.
• Preeclampsia or Eclampsia. These conditions are marked by high blood pressure that can restrict oxygen flow.
• Maternal Health Conditions. These include diabetes, anemia, and respiratory disorders.

We Help Families Seek Justice

If your baby was deprived of oxygen before, during, or after delivery and you think that medical negligence may have played a role, the Providence hypoxia birth injury lawyers at Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell can help. Call us at 401-273-8330 to schedule a FREE and confidential case review and learn more.

With more than 45 years in practice, our attorneys have extensive experience in these complex cases. We are committed to helping families achieve the justice and compensation they deserve.

Signs of Hypoxia in Infants Before Birth

When a baby is deprived of oxygen before delivery, noticeable signs of distress may be identified within the womb. These signs may indicate that immediate intervention is required, such as an emergency cesarean section or intrauterine resuscitation, in which specific actions must be taken to increase the delivery of oxygen to the placenta and umbilical blood flow.

If medical professionals notice any of the following issues, immediate measures should be taken to assess the risk of HIE and respond appropriately. These early signs of hypoxia before birth include abnormal fetal heart rate, as shown in electronic fetal monitoring, and decreased fetal movement.

It may be possible to prevent HIE when these signs are first noticed. The baby’s health should be immediately assessed if these signs occur, and a plan for how to proceed safely should be determined. Failure to respond to signs of distress appropriately can be negligence on the part of health care providers.

Signs of Hypoxia in Infants After Delivery

When hypoxia occurs, one or more of the following indicators may be identified shortly after birth:

• Breathing problems
• Difficulty feeding
• Seizures
• Low Apgar scores
• State of abnormal consciousness (hyperalert or lethargic)
• Acidemia (low pH in umbilical cord blood gas tests)
• Organ problems (failure, damage)
• Hypotonia (low muscle tone)
• Coma

When any of the signs listed above are identified, medical professionals should promptly take note of them and respond immediately. To determine whether therapeutic hypothermia should be administered, swift clinical assessments should be conducted on newborns presenting with signs of HIE.

Signs of Hypoxia During Early Childhood

In some cases of HIE, especially in newborns or young children with mild to moderate hypoxia, the signs of oxygen starvation are not present at the moment of birth. When this happens, HIE may not become evident until later, when one or more of the following signs emerge:

• Hearing and visual impairments
• Delayed growth
• Seizure disorder
• Delayed developmental milestones
• Impaired motor function

If a parent notices any of the signs listed above, a doctor should be notified right away. With prompt medical care, doctors may be able to help the child maximize his or her current abilities.

Who Can Be Held Liable for Hypoxia Birth Injuries?

Determining who can be held liable for a newborn hypoxia injury requires a thorough investigation into the medical care provided during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. If a healthcare provider failed to uphold the standard of care, and that failure caused your baby’s hypoxia, they may be legally responsible. So too might:

• Obstetricians or attending physicians who failed to recognize signs of fetal distress.
• Nurses or midwives who did not properly monitor the baby’s vital signs or escalate concerns.
• Hospitals or birthing centers that lacked proper equipment, staffing, or protocols.
• Anesthesiologists or surgical teams for complications and errors made during epidural insertion or C-section procedures.

Liability can be shared by multiple parties, including some, like administrative parties, who may not have been present when the injury occurred. At Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, our birth injury lawyers work with highly qualified medical experts to review your case and identify the acts of negligence that contributed to your child’s condition. We want to ensure everyone who played a role is held to full account for their actions.

What Types of Compensation Can My Family Seek?

When hypoxia is the result of medical malpractice, families have the right to seek compensation that reflects the full impact of the injury, both now and in the future. A successful hypoxia birth injury claim can help provide financial stability and ensure your child has access to the care and support they need to thrive.

Depending on the specifics of your claim, compensation that may be available through a birth injury lawsuit includes:

• Medical Expenses: Emergency treatment at birth, NICU stays, surgeries, medications, and ongoing care needs.
• Future Healthcare Costs: Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and long-term rehabilitation.
• Educational Accommodations: Special education services, individualized learning plans, before and after school opportunities, and support services and personnel.
• Home Modifications and Assistive Devices: Mobility aids, communication devices, and accessible housing adjustments like ramps and handrails.
• Pain and Suffering: Physical pain and emotional distress.
• Parental Loss of Society and Companionship: A parent’s claim for harm they suffered due to the impact the child’s injury had on their parent/child relationship.

Some hypoxia birth injury claims include compensation for wages lost by parents-turned-care-givers as well as the lost earning potential of children who will be unable to live or work independently as adults. What your claim involves will depend entirely on the ways your child’s injury has and may continue to impact their life.

The hypoxia birth injury lawyers at Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell work closely with economic experts to calculate the full value of your claim. We believe your child deserves every opportunity to live their best life. We will fight tirelessly to help your family secure the resources you need to make that happen.

Why Choose Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell for Your Hypoxia Birth Injury Claim?

Birth injury cases are among the most complex in medical malpractice law. They require extensive knowledge of both legal and medical standards and a relentless commitment to justice. This is where our firm shines.

At Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, we’ve spent decades representing families throughout Rhode Island in hypoxia birth injury claims. Our team has secured millions in settlements and verdicts for individuals and families dealing with the consequences of someone else’s negligence. We’re proud of those results, but we’re prouder still of the people we’ve helped along the way.

Bringing more than 100 years of combined legal experience, our firm has been recognized as one of the Best Law Firms in America in the fields of medical malpractice law and personal injury litigation. Our lawyers have received distinctions from Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, and more, including Lawyer of the Year, but we don’t rest on past achievements. We continue to fight, in and out of the courtroom, for every client we serve. We even limit our caseload to ensure every client receives the personalized attention, endless support, and relentless representation they deserve.

If your child suffered hypoxia due to a preventable medical error, we’re here to help. You can contact us free of both cost and further commitment to discuss your rights, your options, and the best way to seek justice for your child.

Speak With A Providence Hypoxia Birth Injury Lawyer for FREE

If you believe medical negligence may have caused your baby or child to suffer brain damage, you need an experienced birth injury lawyer on your side. Hypoxia birth injury cases are extremely complex and require the skill, resources, and specialized knowledge of an attorney with experience in these difficult claims. The legal team at Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell has a proven record of success in birth injury claims, and we are committed to holding negligent parties accountable for their actions. Contact us online or call us today to schedule your complimentary case review and learn how we can help.

The Providence hypoxia birth injury lawyers at Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell serve families living in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.