Death of New York City Mother Due to Negligent Epidural During Birth Raises Questions about Disparities in Maternal Medical Care

On July 3, 2020, New York City doctor, Dmitry Shelchkov, MD, administered an epidural to Sha-Asia Semple as she prepared to give birth to her baby daughter, which later caused her death. According to local news reports, 26-year-old Semple went into labor and was set to deliver her baby at the Woodhull Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, when the fatally botched epidural injection was administered. Dr. Shelchkov inserted the anesthesia catheter into Semple’s back more than 13 inches deep, and, without administering a test dose of the anesthesia first, he administered the full dose directly into her body. The anesthesia dose is reported to have “hit” Semple’s cerebrospinal fluid, causing her to be unable to breath. When Dr. Shelchkov attempted to intubate Semple with a breathing tube, he inserted the breathing tube down her esophagus (the tube that leads into her stomach) instead of her trachea (the tube that feeds her lungs with air) and for 30 minutes the ventilator only supplied air to her stomach (and nothing to her lungs). Once the doctors realized what was going on, the error was corrected, but, ultimately, Ms. Semple did not survive the multiple serious medical errors, which deprived her of oxygen to her lungs, and she died during the birth of her baby daughter, Khloe.

Death of Mother During Childbirth Highlights Racial Disparities in Maternal Care

The Death of Sha-Asia Semple at the hands of Dr. Shelkov served to raise a broader discussion about the treatment of Black mothers in maternal care. We find a recurrent theme in our cases where African Americans and Hispanics are marginalized by the medical system either because they are poor, uneducated, and frequently have no medical insurance or if they have medical coverage its being provided by Medicaid. Woodhull Medical Center receives around 1,500 mothers due to give birth to their babies, and 85% of those mothers are Black or Hispanic patients. According to reports, medical records from Woodhull show a “pattern” of malpractice in anesthesia administration by Dr. Shelchkov, and a lack of action by the hospital to stop and correct the botched procedures. Dr. Shelkov was later banned from practicing medicine in New York and was stripped of his medical license in 2021, after the State Board of Professional Medical Conduct determined that he had “practiced medicine with negligence and incompetence”. Nationally, maternal death rates spike for non-Hispanic Black women aged 40 and over, with the national average of white maternal deaths in 2021 being 26.6 deaths, and for non-Hispanic Black women 69.9 deaths. Experts indicate that the numbers may climb even higher when it comes to maternal deaths of Black women, depending on the location.

Legal Help for Victims of Medical Malpractice in New York City

If you or a loved one were injured by your trusted doctor or medical team and you need legal help getting justice, contact the experienced New York City medical malpractice lawyers at the law firm of Michael Gunzburg, P.C. The experienced New York City medical malpractice lawyers at the law firm of Michael Gunzburg, P.C. help victims of medical malpractice and their families get compensation due for their unfathomable injuries and losses. If you feel that you were marginalized by your doctors or hospital, and you suffered permanent injuries, call us. Do not hesitate to speak with an experienced New York City medical malpractice lawyer today about your case. Contact the law firm of Michael Gunzburg, P.C. and speak to a lawyer about your rights and options now.

Source:

mdlinx.com/article/an-epidural-gone-wrong-how-a-new-york-malpractice-case-highlights-disparities-in-maternal-care/64U7NmkJOqDwAMBNozbvD9