Learn more about NJ Prenatal Misdiagnosis and Medical Malpractice
The joy of having a baby can quickly turn to anxiety and despair when parents learn that their child has a significant birth defect or genetic disorder, such as misdiagnosis of cystic fibrosis, which will create permanent disability and require lifelong care. The physical and financial hardships that parents are faced with in these situations are often overshadowed by the emotional pain of witnessing their child’s suffering or imagining the pain and hardship their child may face in the future.
In many instances, birth defects and genetic diseases can be easily identified during early pregnancy, giving parents the opportunity to choose whether or not to allow their pregnancy to continue. In New Jersey, if a birth defect or genetic disease is not identified during pregnancy simply because a medical care provider was negligent, a wrongful birth claim can be made.
What is Prenatal Misdiagnosis?
Prenatal misdiagnosis can happen in a number of ways. Prenatal care providers may fail to recognize clear signs of a genetic condition early in pregnancy. Appropriate screening tests may not have been offered early in pregnancy to rule out the possibility of a genetic defect. Elevated risk factors which put a woman at increased risk for having a child with a genetic condition may have gone unrecognized. When screening tests are appropriately offered, it is also possible for the results to be misinterpreted or for a provider/team to fail to deliver abnormal results in a timely or accurate manner.
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON PRENATAL MISDIAGNOSES?
Although it is uncommon for these failures to occur during pregnancy, when they do, the results can be potentially devastating for a family who was not prepared financially or emotionally to provide the best care possible for their child with special needs. Although any genetic condition or physical birth defect can go undetected, some of the most common cases we have handled relating to prenatal misdiagnosis include failures to detect:
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Down Syndrome
- Fragile X Syndrome
- Preeclampsia (PIH) & Eclampsia Misdiagnosis & Mismanagement
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Spina Bifida / Neural Tube Defects
- Thalassemia
What are the Standards of Care for prenatal diagnosis of birth defects and genetic diseases in NJ?
It is widely accepted throughout the United States and in New Jersey that obstetricians must offer certain prenatal screening tests to every pregnant patient, regardless of family history or age, including but not limited to:
Genetic counseling and screening tests for carrier status
A careful history should be taken from all pregnant women seeking to identify risk factors for genetic disorders. Information should include the health status and genetic history of parents and relatives, as well as information about ethnic and racial backgrounds. Blood tests should be offered for the following genetic disorders depending on whether or not either parent is at increased risk of carrier status:
- Cystic Fibrosis (all parents)
- Canavan Disease (Ashkenazi-German or Eastern European-Jewish descent)
- Sickle Cell Disease (African, Indian, Middle Eastern, or Mediterranean descent)
- Tay-Sachs Disease (Ashkenazi Jewish, French Canadian, or Cajun descent)
- Thalassemia (Mediterranean or Southeast Asian descent)
Nuchal Translucency or First Trimester Screening
Between 11 and 14 weeks of pregnancy, an ultrasound examination that measures the clear space (translucent) at the back of the neck (nuchal) of the developing fetus can be helpful in detecting Down syndrome. In combination with a maternal blood test, Nuchal translucency can help determine whether further testing should be performed.
Quadruple screen
Between the 15th and 20th week of pregnancy, maternal blood is drawn and analyzed for the presence of four pregnancy-related proteins and hormones: hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), AFP (alpha-fetoprotein), DIA (dimeric inhibin-A), and UE3 (estriol). Abnormally high or low levels of the above are associated with an increased risk of Down syndrome, spina bifida, and other neural tube defects. It is important for medical care providers to properly assess fetal age and maternal weight in determining whether or not test results are normal. If the quadruple screen result is abnormal, patients should always be offered further testing, such as a targeted ultrasound or amniocentesis, so that a diagnosis can be made with certainty.
Ultrasound
Between the 16th and 22nd week of pregnancy, an additional ultrasound is given to check fetal anatomy. At that time, the fetal neck, abdomen (stomach, kidneys, bladder), head (brain), heart, spine and limbs are carefully examined for signs of abnormalities. This examination should be performed by an experienced medical professional aware of the accepted standards of care. A wide range of fetal abnormalities can be detected with a competent and thorough examination, including but not limited to spina bifida and other neural tube defects, major heart and brain defects, Down syndrome, and missing organs and bones.
How Can Weiss & Paarz Help NJ Victims of Prenatal Misdiagnosis?
Unfortunately, many children with birth defects and genetic diseases will require a lifetime of expensive medical care. Many of these children will also need to be followed by several different types of specialists and participate in ongoing physical and occupational therapy. All of these children deserve to benefit from the very best and most advanced treatment available. Unfortunately, there is often a big difference in the treatment and services that private medical insurance or such programs as Medicaid will cover and the most up-to-date treatment. If your child has a birth defect(s) or genetic disease that you suspect may have been detectable during pregnancy, getting the compensation that you deserve may be the only way to provide the best care and services possible.
New Jersey medical malpractice lawyers Michael L. Weiss, Esq. and Robert E. Paarz, Esq. have presented over 30 prenatal misdiagnosis and wrongful birth injury cases to juries, helping those families to obtain the financial assistance needed to lessen or even eliminate the financial burden caused by birth defects and genetic disorders. They are committed to using their experience and knowledge to help families obtain fair compensation after having been negligently deprived of their constitutional right to choose whether to continue a pregnancy involving a fetus with genetic disorders or birth defects.
If you would like to discuss the possibility of pursuing a claim, contact Weiss & Paarz, P.C. at our New Jersey for Philadelphia office today.