Birth Injury Blog

Michigan Premature Births are both Dangerous and Often Preventable

In the United States, 440,000 babies are born premature each year. If not treated and given the proper care, these preterm infants can develop serious conditions that can be highly traumatic and life threatening.

A typical pregnancy lasts nine months. Any delivery that occurs before this 37-week gestation period is considered a Michigan premature birth. Although the fetus is growing and developing this entire time, the last months and weeks are especially critical as final developments of the brain, lungs and other internal organs occur.

If the development of these critical body systems is cut short, the infant can suffer serious physical and mental impairments. Stunted or unfinished growth of these important structures can result in:

• Developmental Delays
• Cerebral Palsy
• Neural impairment
• Digestive abnormalities
• Respiratory issues
• Death

While in some cases premature births can come without warning, this is often not the case. Because there are many risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of pre-term births, such birth difficulties can be anticipated and even prevented with the proper prenatal care.

It is the responsibility of doctors and nurses to recognize these signs and take immediate action. Failure to prevent premature birth is often considered medical malpractice. Negligent health care providers can be held responsible for these tragic cases if they failed to meet the strict standards of care throughout all stages of pregnancy.

If you believe that you have been the victim of medical malpractice and would like to learn more about earning financial compensation for your injured child or the loss of your baby, call a Michigan birth injury attorney today. You can call the Michigan birth injury attorneys of the Thurswell Law Firm at (866) 354-5544 (toll-free) to schedule a free consultation about your case.