Cesarean Section Expert Witness
One-third of all deliveries in the United States are via cesarean section. While some cesareans are planned, most are performed when unexpected complications occur during or just before labor.
Dr. Paul Sinkhorn is a board-certified medical expert in obstetrics and gynecology who also serves as an OB-GYN expert witness.
Dr. Sinkhorn’s background in obstetrics and gynecology includes high-risk obstetrics, cesarean sections, fetal heart monitoring, birth trauma, sterilization and contraception, operative gynecology, and pelvic repairs.
What is a Cesarean Section?
A cesarean section is a surgical procedure used to deliver a baby through the mother’s abdomen as opposed to through the vagina.
Cesareans are generally safe for the mother and the baby, although recovery time for a cesarean is longer than for a vaginal birth.
Reasons for cesarean include:
· Fetal health is in danger
· Multiple fetuses (e.g. triplets, quadruplets)
· Labor is not progressing as it should
· Maternal health conditions such as:
o Heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, lupus
· Infection
o HIV or other STDs
· Age
o Pregnancy at an older age increases the odds of a cesarean delivery
· The size or position of the fetus in the uterus
o The fetus may be breech or too large to pass safely through the birth canal
· Other
o If the mother develops preeclampsia (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure) or eclampsia (a rare progression of preeclampsia involving seizures) during pregnancy
Cesarean Risks and Complications
While cesareans are useful procedures in certain pregnancies, there are potential risks and complications to be considered by the patient:
· Post-surgical infection or fever
· Intraoperative or postoperative blood loss
· Injury to nearby organs or other structures
· Blood clots in the legs or lungs
· Reaction to medication or anesthesia
· Scar tissue development
· Potential impact on future deliveries
· Disability or death of the mother
Cesarean Expert Witness
Over 40 years of medical experience led Dr. Paul Sinkhorn to where he is today as a board-certified medical expert in obstetrics and gynecology, and an OB-GYN expert witness.
Dr. Sinkhorn’s wide-ranging experience and knowledge in obstetrics and gynecology ensure that his clients are obtaining the right medical information for the case at hand.
Dr. Sinkhorn can analyze the reasoning behind a decision to perform a cesarean, or to not perform one, and can give a unbiased opinion about whether the standard of expected medical care was appropriately exercised.