MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

Ethical Issues of Medical Malpractice Causing Deformities in Babies

Table of Contents

Introduction1

Deformities in babies1

Medical malpractice2

Birth injuries claim3

Sex assignment on infants with ambiguous genitalia4

Conclusion4

References6

Ethical Issues of Medical Malpractice causing deformities in babies

Introduction

Deformities in babies occur due to birth injuries. Birth injury may be defined as any adverse impact on the body of the child due to anything that happens during the birth. The research paper discusses the types of birth injuries that lead to deformities in babies. It also discusses whether these birth injuries happen due to medical malpractice and what are the ethical dilemmas faced by the medical practitioners (Solomon, 2006). Although there are many medical malpractices that occur in the emergency rooms, hospitals and even surgical errors. Medical malpractice or medical negligence refers to the medical practitioner's inability to meet the standards. This is judged based on what other competent doctors must have done in a similar situation. The doctor may indulge in this type of malpractice due to negligence or sheer incompetence. In both cases, the doctor is responsible for his behavior.

Deformities in babies

There are many types of deformities that can take place in babies. The most common among these are the skull deformities, leg deformities and others. These birth deformities are so horrendous that it is difficult to imagine the pain of parents who give birth to a deformed baby (Wyatt, 2001). The drug administration during pregnancy needs much care and responsibility. The physical and mental deformities in the child can be prevented to a very large extent is drugs that contain nicotine and alcohol or other illicit drugs are avoided during pregnancy. The most unfortunate part is that many of these drugs are available with the pharmacists as over the counter products. Hence, to be mothers who are not aware of the consequences of taking such medicines may take them and affect the fetus.

Hence, it is an ethical dilemma of the pharmaceutical industry that they make such medicines available without prescription from a certified medical practitioner and adversely impact the health of the fetus. Moreover, untrained doctors or quacks are responsible for the rise in the number of cases of deformities in children.

Medical malpractice

When understanding the medical malpractice that can lead to deformities in babies, it is important to understand what really entails medical malpractice. Medical malpractice means the provision of a healthcare service that is not as per the standards that govern that service. Moreover, there are situations in the field of healthcare service that may not have standards in the black and white. In these situations, the decisions taken by the medical practitioner are judged for their morality and ethics on the basis of common sense and what a competent provider of healthcare service would have done in a similar situation (R. Rex Parris, 2011).

It is also important to note here that an unsatisfactory service does not mean that the medical service which was provided comes under the ambit of ethical ...