Giving birth should be one of the most joyful moments in a parent’s life. It’s the moment you’ve waited for, imagined, and planned around. But when something feels off in the delivery room, and no one seems to notice or act, that joy can quickly turn into worry and heartbreak.
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy, or HIE, is a type of brain injury caused by a lack of oxygen during labor or delivery. In many cases, it could have been prevented. Fetal monitors are designed to catch signs of distress, and when those signs are missed or ignored, the outcome can be devastating.
If your child was diagnosed with HIE and you believe something was missed during labor, you may have the right to seek answers. Get in touch with Latona Law to speak with someone who understands what your family is facing and can help you explore your next steps.
What Is HIE?
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy, often called HIE, is a type of brain injury that happens when a newborn’s brain doesn’t get enough oxygen or blood flow during labor, delivery, or right after birth. When the brain is starved of oxygen, even for a short time, the damage can begin quickly and may be permanent.
For some babies, the effects of HIE are mild and manageable. But in many cases, it leads to serious, lifelong challenges. This might include learning difficulties, problems with movement, or conditions like cerebral palsy. In the most severe situations, HIE can be life-threatening.
What makes this condition especially heartbreaking is that it’s often preventable. Doctors and nurses are trained to monitor for signs of fetal distress—things like abnormal heart rates or decreased movement. These signs are early warnings that something isn’t right, and when they’re missed or not addressed quickly enough, the result can be devastating.
If your child was diagnosed with HIE, you may be left with questions about what really happened. Understanding the basics is a good place to start, especially if you’re trying to find out whether this injury could have been avoided.
The Role of Fetal Monitoring
Fetal monitoring is one of the key ways doctors and nurses keep track of how a baby is handling labor. By watching the baby’s heart rate, they can often spot early signs of distress and respond before the situation becomes more serious.
In many hospitals, continuous monitoring is used throughout labor. This involves placing sensors on the mother’s belly to follow both the baby’s heartbeat and the strength of contractions. In other cases, especially when things seem low-risk, providers might check the heart rate at intervals using a handheld device.
The goal in either case is to catch patterns that suggest the baby isn’t getting enough oxygen. A normal heart rate will have natural ups and downs. When that pattern changes and if the heart rate suddenly drops, stays too low, or becomes too steady with little variation, it can mean the baby is in trouble.
Medical teams are trained to act when those signs appear. Sometimes that means adjusting the mother’s position or giving her oxygen. In more serious cases, it may lead to an emergency delivery.
Fetal monitoring gives a real-time look at how the baby is doing during labor. When it’s used carefully and interpreted correctly, it helps protect both mother and child. But if something is missed or ignored, the outcome can be far more serious than it needed to be.
What Happens When Providers Fail to Act?
When signs of fetal distress show up on a monitor, timing matters. In some cases, there’s only a small window to step in and protect the baby from lasting harm. If those signs are missed or brushed off, the consequences can be life-changing.
Delays in care can lead to a lack of oxygen reaching the baby’s brain, and even a short delay can make a big difference. Conditions like HIE often develop when warning signs, like abnormal heart rate patterns or reduced movement, aren’t taken seriously or aren’t acted on fast enough. What might have been prevented with a timely C-section, repositioning, or extra oxygen can quickly become a much more serious situation.
Sometimes it’s a breakdown in communication among the medical team. Other times, it’s a failure to follow established protocols. Either way, when healthcare providers don’t respond to clear signs of trouble, families are often left with questions, and sometimes, the burden of a lifelong medical condition.
The impact of these moments goes far beyond the delivery room. Children may face challenges for years to come, and families often carry the emotional and financial weight. That’s why it’s so important to understand what should have been done—and to ask questions when something feels wrong.
Talk to a Birth Injury Lawyer About What Comes Next
When a child is harmed during birth, the effects can be felt long after the delivery room is quiet. Families are left searching for answers while managing the emotional and financial challenges that follow.
If your baby was diagnosed with HIE and you believe something went wrong during labor or delivery, it is important to understand your rights. A birth injury lawyer can help you look into what happened and guide you through your legal options.
You do not have to figure this out on your own. Contact Latona Law for a free consultation and take the first step toward getting the answers and support your family deserves.