A Warning Sign That Demands Action
Labor and delivery are unpredictable. But when vital signs like maternal blood pressure begin to spike or crash, every second counts. Abnormal blood pressure isn’t just a maternal health concern—it’s a powerful warning sign that the baby could be in distress.
At Van Wey & Metzler, we’ve worked with families across Oklahoma City whose children suffered preventable birth injuries because this critical warning was missed—or ignored. When doctors fail to respond to blood pressure fluctuations during childbirth, the consequences can be permanent. And families deserve more than vague explanations. They deserve answers.
Why Blood Pressure Matters So Much in Labor
During delivery, a mother's blood pressure acts like a thermostat for her baby’s environment. High blood pressure (known as preeclampsia or eclampsia when severe) can restrict blood flow to the placenta, starving the baby of oxygen. Low blood pressure—often caused by epidurals or complications during C-sections—can have the same effect.
In both cases, the baby's brain is deprived of the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function and develop. This is one of the most common causes of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and other serious neonatal injuries.
These conditions don’t develop overnight. Most of the time, they are flagged well before delivery begins. That’s why medical teams have a duty to monitor, document, and act swiftly when a laboring mother's blood pressure becomes unstable.
What Can Happen When Providers Fail to Act
When blood pressure spikes or crashes and providers are slow to respond, the baby can suffer:
Oxygen deprivation to the brain
Seizures or stroke-like injuries
Permanent motor and developmental delays
Stillbirth or neonatal death
For the mother, unmanaged blood pressure can lead to seizures, organ failure, stroke, and even death. It is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the U.S., and Black women are disproportionately affected.
Many of these tragedies could be avoided with appropriate care—consistent monitoring, early diagnosis, and decisive intervention. In some Oklahoma City hospitals, however, those standards are not always upheld.
How We Uncover the Truth
Our team specializes in identifying the precise moment where care failed. We work with maternal-fetal medicine experts and obstetric specialists to examine whether:
Blood pressure readings were taken at proper intervals
Symptoms of preeclampsia (like swelling, headaches, or visual changes) were taken seriously
Medications to control blood pressure were administered appropriately
A C-section was delayed when fetal distress was evident
Hospital staff communicated effectively during emergencies
If your child was born with brain damage, seizures, or other injuries—and you know blood pressure was an issue during delivery—we will help you connect the dots.
Our Commitment to Oklahoma City Families
We’ve spent our careers fighting for patients who were harmed not by chance, but by choice—by poor decisions, ignored alarms, and healthcare systems more focused on speed than safety.
When we take on a case involving blood pressure negligence, we pursue compensation for every loss your family has endured, including:
Lifelong medical care and therapy
Adaptive equipment and special education resources
Home care and nursing support
Pain, suffering, and emotional anguish
But just as important, we push for change. We believe that every lawsuit we file sends a message: that ignoring a mother’s health is never acceptable, and that preventable injuries should never be treated as routine outcomes.
Know the Signs. Know Your Rights.
If you remember being told your blood pressure was “a little high” or “a little low” during labor—and then something went terribly wrong—you’re not alone.
We encourage you to:
Request your complete labor and delivery records
Talk to your child’s pediatrician about early signs of neurological injury
Reach out to our team for a no-cost, confidential consultation
You don’t need all the medical answers to make that call. You just need the sense that something wasn’t right—and the courage to ask, What really happened?
When Care Fails, We Step In
Your baby deserved a safe delivery. You deserved attentive care. If you didn’t receive that—and your child is now living with the consequences—we are here to help.
At Van Wey & Metzler, we serve Oklahoma City families with compassion, focus, and a firm commitment to uncovering the truth. We fight for justice not just for one child, but for the next family whose safety depends on a better system.
