Maternal Death

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a pregnancy-related death is defined as “the death of a woman while pregnant or within 1 year of the end of a pregnancy–regardless of the outcome, duration or site of the pregnancy–from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management…”  In the United States, the CDC noted 18 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2014 (the latest available year of data)—an increase of more than two-fold from the 7.2 deaths per 100,000 live births recorded in 1987. In 2018, an investigation undertaken by USA Today suggested that more women are dying due to childbirth complications in the United States than the rest of the developed world. Maternal mortality can impact women in the United States of every race, ethnicity, education, and income level.

A mother’s wrongful death may occur from the following:

Due to the risk of fetal macrosomia, it is recommended that babies be delivered at 38 weeks of gestation. A study out of the University of New Mexico found that prolonging a pregnancy past 38 weeks does not decrease the cesarean rate and delivery after 38 weeks increases the risk of fetal macrosomia.

If you believe your loved one died due to medical negligence during her pregnancy, labor, childbirth or the postpartum period, consider speaking to an experienced and compassionate birth injury attorney. The attorneys at Grant & Eisenhofer P.A. can help you understand your potential legal options, if any, and answer any questions you may have.