Birth injuries and high blood pressure medications

There is a concern that pregnant women may be prescribed antihypertensive drugs without doctors taking into account possible consequences. Though such medications obviously can prevent hypertension in pregnant women, the risks of birth injuries and pregnancy complications such as placental abruption, fetal demise, superimposed preeclampsia, preterm birth or maternal morbidity by taking such medications have not been studied.

This should be a concern for Pittsburgh women preparing to give birth to a child as high blood pressure affects close to 8 percent of all women that are pregnant. And though research is lacking, this does not seem to prevent doctors from going ahead and prescribing medications that may prove to be injurious.

In recent years, we’ve learned too late in many circumstances that certain medications should never be taken by pregnant women. The reason why it’s best to err on the side of caution when it comes to such matters is because the injuries to the child can be debilitating and life lasting.

Doctors need to weigh all of the consequences and understand the alternative means of dealing with medical issues. However, some doctors instead take the easiest course without considering the downside of such treatments.

Nobody wants to bring a child into this world that will suffer unnecessarily from complications such as cerebral palsy or any other number of birth injuries. Attorneys understand the frustrations and concerns of parents when birth injuries potentially can happen, and such attorneys will make every effort to help parents and the child be compensated for any birth injuries that do occur.

Source: Forbes, “Antihypertensive Use Among Pregnant Women on the Rise,” by Larry Husten, September 10, 2012