Medical Verdicts

Could preterm twins have been saved?

OBG Manag. 2005 March;17(3):74-76

 

US District Court

Within in 48 hours of birth, twin boys born at 24 weeks’ gestation died due to respiratory distress syndrome.

The mother claimed negligence, alleging that the obstetrician should have:

  • performed a urinalysis and urine culture at her first prenatal visit,
  • ordered a urinalysis and therapy for asymptomatic bacteria detected on urine dipstick testing,
  • assessed her for preterm labor during an office visit, and
  • provided medical therapy to prevent preterm birth.
The physician argued that premature delivery could not have been prevented.
  • The jury awarded the plaintiff $225,000.
The cases in this column are selected by the editors of OBG Management from Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements & Experts, with permission of the editor, Lewis Laska, of Nashville, Tenn (www.verdictslaska.com). While there are instances when the available information is incomplete, these cases represent the types of clinical situations that typically result in litigation.

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