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Since 1979, Dov Apfel has been passionate about advocating for birth injury and medical malpractice victims. Mr. Apfel’s career-long record of achievements in birth injury litigation, education, and advocacy has been recognized by the Executive Board of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice. His expertise is demonstrated by his numerous awards, presentations on birth injury topics at legal conferences for organizations like the AAJ and ATLA, and articles published by Trial Magazine and many others.
Read Bio
Since 1979, Dov Apfel has been passionate about advocating for birth injury and medical malpractice victims. Mr. Apfel’s career-long record of achievements in birth injury litigation, education, and advocacy has been recognized by the Executive Board of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice. His expertise is demonstrated by his numerous awards, presentations on birth injury topics at legal conferences for organizations like the AAJ and ATLA, and articles published by Trial Magazine and many others.
Key Takeaways
You expect your care team to recognize and respond to complications during and after childbirth. When providers fail to treat uncontrolled bleeding in a timely manner, the situation can escalate quickly. What should be a manageable medical emergency may lead to catastrophic outcomes.
Levin & Perconti has represented families across Chicago affected by excessive blood loss, maternal infections, and other preventable birth injuries. We’ve put together this guide to help you understand how postpartum hemorrhage occurs, how providers are expected to respond to it, and what it may mean when care falls short.
You expect your care team to recognize and respond to complications during and after childbirth. When providers fail to treat uncontrolled bleeding in a timely manner, the situation can escalate quickly. What should be a manageable medical emergency may lead to catastrophic outcomes.
Levin & Perconti has represented families across Chicago affected by excessive blood loss, maternal infections, and other preventable birth injuries. We’ve put together this guide to help you understand how postpartum hemorrhage occurs, how providers are expected to respond to it, and what it may mean when care falls short.
What Is Postpartum Hemorrhage, and Why Does It Happen?
Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) involves excessive bleeding shortly after childbirth. It’s the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide and occurs in up to 5% of deliveries.
PPH can occur even without known risk factors. Because blood loss can escalate quickly, PPH is considered a medical emergency. It can cause a sharp drop in blood pressure and limit blood flow to vital organs, which can lead to organ failure or death. The patient’s health care providers must immediately identify the source of the bleeding and stop it to prevent life-altering outcomes.
The definition of PPH is fluid. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists defines it as cumulative blood loss of at least 1,000 mL or blood loss accompanied by signs of hypovolemia within 24 hours after birth. Other experts have defined postpartum hemorrhage as blood loss of 500 mL or more. Recent guidelines from the World Health Organization and other leading health authorities have changed that standard, advising medical professionals to act when blood loss reaches 300 mL.
Who Is at Higher Risk for Postpartum Hemorrhage?
Certain patients face a higher risk of PPH. Health care providers must recognize these risks and provide proper monitoring or intervention to reduce the likelihood of serious bleeding. Common risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage include:
- Advanced maternal age, commonly defined as being at least 35 years old at the time of delivery
- Prolonged labor, which occurs when labor lasts for at least 20 hours for first-time mothers and 14 hours for those who’ve previously given birth
- History of PPH in prior deliveries
- Preeclampsia or gestational hypertension
- Obesity
- Maternal anemia
- Birth of more than one fetus
- Large for gestational age infant, which is often defined as a birth weight of more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces
- Blood clotting disorders, such as antiphospholipid syndrome
- Cesarean section
- Use of anesthesia during birth
- Placenta previa or accreta
- Placental abruption
- Infected placenta or amniotic fluid
Common Causes of Postpartum Hemorrhage
Experts often group the primary causes of PPH into four categories:
- Uterine Atony: This occurs when the uterus does not contract properly after delivery, preventing the placental blood vessels from closing and leading to steady blood loss.
- Uterine Trauma: Damaged tissue in the uterus or surrounding areas can continue to bleed after delivery.
- Retained Placental Tissue: Portions of the placenta may fail to separate from the uterine wall and prevent normal uterine contractions.
- Blood Clotting Conditions: Disorders that affect clotting can make it harder for the body to stop bleeding.
Providers who regularly care for pregnant and recent postpartum patients understand these causes well. They’re expected to recognize warning signs, take preventive steps when risk factors are present, and respond appropriately to control bleeding when it does occur.
How Care Failures Can Turn Postpartum Hemorrhage Into a Tragedy
PPH is a known risk of childbirth, and providers receive extensive training to anticipate and manage it. Any care failure that deviates from the standard could be considered medical malpractice if it leads to avoidable harm.
Breakdowns in care can occur when providers dismiss a patient’s symptoms of postpartum hemorrhage or fail to monitor for signs of blood loss closely. In some cases, providers may fail to escalate care quickly enough after identifying signs of excessive bleeding. This may include failing to administer medications, not involving additional specialists when necessary, or delaying procedures needed to control the bleeding.
A Fatal Case Example of Missed Postpartum Hemorrhage
Our team represented the family of a woman who died as a result of PPH. The new mother had complained of bleeding to her physician, but the doctor disregarded her concerns.
As a result of this dismissal, the woman suffered severe blood loss that could have been treated with appropriate intervention. A jury later found that the provider’s failure to respond to clear warning signs contributed directly to her death, resulting in a $7.62 million verdict.
This case highlights the potential for severe outcomes when providers fail to act appropriately in response to signs of postpartum hemorrhage. Timely care can make a significant difference in preventing severe complications and loss of life.
verdict against an HMO doctor who disregarded the mother’s complaints of postpartum bleeding, which resulted in her bleeding to death.
Effects of Postpartum Hemorrhage on Mothers and Families
Severe blood loss after birth can lead to shock, organ failure, or anemia. Some patients require blood transfusions or extended hospital stays, including intensive care unit admission. In severe cases, a hysterectomy may be necessary, resulting in permanent infertility. PPH can also delay breastfeeding, adding stress to an already difficult time and potentially impacting the newborn’s health.
The emotional impact can be just as significant. Patients may experience anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress due to the trauma of their delivery or emergency intervention.
These effects can ripple into the family’s finances. PPH can lengthen the mother’s time away from work after delivery. Her partner may also miss more work to care for both the mother and the infant. The cost of medical treatment can also be substantial.
In the most catastrophic cases, PPH can cause maternal death. This loss can be profound for the victim’s partner and children during the very vulnerable early years of parenthood and childhood. Families are often left to cope with both overwhelming grief and the sudden loss of household support.
Understanding Your Legal Rights After a Postpartum Hemorrhage in Illinois
A PPH may qualify as medical malpractice if it results from a provider’s failure to meet the standard of care.
To pursue a claim, you must prove the four elements of negligence: duty of care, breach of duty, causation, and damages. In other words, the provider failed to act as another reasonably competent provider would in the same situation, and that failure caused harm.
Medical expert testimony can play a key role in determining whether negligence is at play. When we build your case, we may collaborate with third-party medical professionals to identify what the standard of care should have been in your situation and understand how the provider’s actions deviated from that expectation.
Illinois law typically gives you two years from the date you discovered the negligence to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. However, medical malpractice claims are also subject to a statute of repose, which can bar claims more than four years after the negligent act or omission, with limited exceptions. The same deadline applies to wrongful death claims. The personal representative of the deceased victim’s estate may bring a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of their surviving close family members, such as their spouse, children, or parents.
How Our Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyers Can Help You Find Answers After PPH
When you turn to our attorneys after a preventable PPH, we’ll take the lead on every aspect of your medical malpractice claim. Our team will review your medical records, work with qualified experts, and reconstruct the timeline of care to identify where breakdowns may have occurred. While we build your case, we’ll handle communication with hospitals and insurance companies to protect you from their attempts to minimize your compensation.
If the evidence shows that your care fell below the accepted standard, our attorneys will take legal action on your behalf and handle negotiations with the responsible parties. If the insurer refuses to settle for what your case is worth, we’ll be ready to file a lawsuit and represent you in court.
We’re Ready To Help You Move Forward With Your Medical Malpractice Claim
If you or a loved one suffered a postpartum hemorrhage due to preventable care failures, the impact can stay with you long after delivery. You deserve to focus on your health and your family during this challenging time. Let Levin & Perconti take on the legal burden while you rebuild your life.
Our team is ready to listen to your story and help you understand your options. Call us today at 312-332-2872 or complete our online contact form to schedule a free, confidential consultation.
