The mother of a baby with cerebral palsy is suing the University of Chicago Medical Center for alleged malpractice which caused the baby to develop cerebral palsy while still a fetus.
Latoya Blanchard, mother of Dylin Blanchard, filed a complaint June 29 in Cook County Circuit Court against the hospital.
On March 28, 2011, at seven weeks gestation, Latoya Blanchard came under the care of the defendant's Maternal Fetal Medicine and Genetics Department. She advised her physician at that time that her previous pregnancy had ended at 22 weeks with a fetal demise.
On March 31 and April 26, she had routine visits to the department, then, on June 28, she returned at 20 3/7 weeks, never having undergone a fetal ultrasound. The fetal heart rate was 143 and her cervix was dilated to 48 millimeters.
On July 21, she returned dilated to 6 centimeters and complaining of back pain. An ultrasound showed a footling breech. She was given antibiotics, betamethasone and magnesium, the lawsuit states.
The baby was shown to be in cephalic presentation, according to another ultrasound.
Two days later, at 4:55 a.m., her bulging bag was out of the introitus and a code blue was called. Dylin Blanchard was delivered at 1 lb., 4 oz., and suffered a grade four ventricular hemorrhage and neonatal seizures, which resulted in severe developmental delays and cerebral palsy, the lawsuit states.
The defendant is cited with negligence and carelessness for failing to administer progesterone to the mother; and offer her cervical cerclage to prevent a pre-term delivery.
The plaintiff seeks damages of more than $50,000, plus costs. The plaintiff is represented by Ryan E. Yagoda, of Kralovec, Jambois and Schwartz in Chicago.