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Helping Families Whose Infants Have Been Harmed By Untreated Group B Strep (Infection)

Obstetricians and health care workers usually do their best to reduce infections in expectant mothers by screening them for Group B streptococcus (GBS) at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy. If a pregnant woman tests positive for GBS, her physician can reduce the chance of her transmitting the bacterium to her newborn by treating her with antibiotics during labor in an IV drip. Doctors who neglect to test an expectant mother for GBS or who fail to give a laboring mother an antibiotic if she is at risk for infecting her infant can be sued for medical malpractice. Due to the doctor’s negligent actions, the child is at risk for becoming quite ill or dying. At The Law Office of Robert H. Kleinschmidt, P.C., in Scottsdale, our attorney works hard to help hold negligent medical professionals accountable and to help you recover the full and fair compensation to which you are entitled.

Early Onset Of The Disease In Newborns

Most women (and men) carry Group B streptococcal bacterium in their throat, rectum, bladder, intestines and genital tract. Although adults are carriers, they usually remain asymptomatic and feel in good health.

About one-fourth of all pregnant women carry the GBS bacterium in their rectum and vagina, but remain remarkably healthy. To test for GBS, a swab of the rectum and vagina is sent by their doctor to a lab for analysis. The test results are usually available within two days.

Newborns are especially susceptible to contracting early-onset Group B strep as they pass through the vaginal canal. A baby can become quite ill within 12 hours of birth.

Symptoms of early-onset GBS include:

  • Difficulties with nursing/feeding
  • Listlessness
  • Fever

Early-onset GBS disease can lead to serious illnesses in babies such as:

Late-Onset Group B Strep

Late-onset Group B strep is not as common as Type A. It usually becomes evident after the first week of life and can appear in infants up to the age of 3 months.

Contact Us To Help Determine If Your Claim Is Valid

If your baby developed Group A or Group B strep disease due to your doctor’s negligent actions or omissions, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering and other damages. A lawyer can discuss the facts of your case with you, to determine if you have a valid malpractice claim.

Call The Law Office of Robert H. Kleinschmidt, P.C. at 480-951-3949 or contact us online to learn more. Your initial consultation is free. From our Scottsdale offices, we represent people throughout the greater Phoenix, Arizona, area.