Study of Oxygen-Deprived Newborns on Hold
The coronavirus outbreak continues to draw medical resources from other areas worldwide, as Britain’s Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) has suspended routine examinations of oxygen-deprived newborns, to allow those resources to be used for the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an article in HSJ, Health Service Journal. The agency also has paused its publication of reports but will continue to report serious concerns.
The HSIB had been following babies deprived of oxygen at birth, who were treated with cooling therapy, which, according to the article, “involves lowering the baby’s body temperature soon after birth and for a few days afterwards in the hope it will slow down the processes that cause brain damage.” As of April 6, the agency ceased to review these cases when there are no confirmed brain injuries following therapy. The healthcare system will continue to refer serious maternity cases but review may be delayed by the pandemic.
Many things can happen to cause injury during childbirth. If you fear that your child suffered such an injury due to negligence, you may wish to discuss your legal rights with a Philadelphia birth injury attorney. Contact us to schedule a convenient time to speak.