OBSTETRIC CHOLESTASIS - ICP MALPRACTICE

Failure to recognize or deal with obstetric cholestasis or ICP (intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy) may be due to medical malpractice. This condition is a liver disorder that results from a reduced flow of bile fluids which are produced by the liver and affects approximately 1% of women during pregnancy and continues until the child is delivered. Often the only symptom that occurs is itching of the hands and feet which disappears within a few weeks of delivery. The condition does pose a risk of harm to an unborn child and may prove fatal unless it is recognized promptly and treated properly, usually by early delivery around 35th to 38th week. ICP Obstetric cholestasis usually increases in intensity in subsequent pregnancies and the same mother may require earlier delivery for each successive child.

High levels of oestrogen produced during pregnancy inhibit bile flow which increases concentrations of bile salts in the blood resulting in itching. This condition poses a danger to the unborn child particularly in the latter stages of pregnancy and can result in stillbirth. Obstetric cholestasis is often a hereditary although it can skip several generations. Following complaint about abnormal itching a doctor should take a blood sample for evaluation of liver function and after eliminating all other possible diseases and disorders a diagnosis may be made. This condition is relatively rare and many midwives and doctors are not knowledgeable about the proper procedures for handling this disease which can result in medical malpractice.

Symptoms are often difficult to diagnose however itching usually starts on the soles of the feet and the palms, extending to the rest of the body and often including the face, ears, mouth and head. The itching is often most intense during the night and can lead to sleep deprivation, exhaustion and physical fatigue. About 20% of patients suffer from jaundice and some infants are born jaundiced. Mothers may suffer from malabsorption of vitamins and there is a 20% risk of postpartum haemorrhage which may be caused by inadequate absorption of vitamin K, which is needed for the blood to clot.

We are an independent legal service and we can help you to exercise your legal rights to obtain compensation for obstetric cholestasis medical malpractice. We'll ensure that you get a fair deal by sending your claim to a lawyer who is a member of The Association of Trial Lawyers of America. You can rely on our specialist advocates to take care of your compensation claim in a comprehensive, helpful, sympathetic and professional manner. Our lawyers will respect your confidentiality at all times and will explain legal issues clearly and without jargon. Your lawyer will deal with your ICP obstetric cholestasis case using a contingency fee arrangement which means if you don't succeed in receiving a settlement then your lawyer won't get paid. Limitation periods vary from state to state and you should take advice from a specialist medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible.

If you are the innocent victim of a medical malpractice then you may be able to recover compensation. For free advice without obligation from an accredited specialist lawyer just complete the contact form and a member of The Association of Trial Lawyers of America will telephone you immediately to discuss your compensation claim.