A recent study found that 19 percent of women who received an epidural during labor suffered a fever, compared with approximately 2 percent of those without epidurals. Fever during labor can be harmful to the baby, potentially causing breathing difficulties, poor muscle tone and seizures and affecting the child's pulse.

The medical study examined childbirths by about 3,200 women at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Researchers reviewed the correlation between epidurals, fevers and infant health problems. The study is important because more than half of American women receive an epidural when going into labor.

The more intense the mother's fever, the greater the chances the baby will suffer birth complications. As the mother's temperature rises, it increases the likelihood of more serious birth injuries such as seizures. Some doctors recommend delaying an epidural as long as possible because mothers' likelihood of developing fever rises as more time passes after the epidural shot.

Doctors should discuss the risks and benefits of epidurals with their patients. If your child was harmed by an epidural-induced fever during childbirth, contact an experienced Ohio medical malpractice attorney to discuss your rights to legal recourse.

Source: health.usnews.com, "Epidural plus fever in mom may raise risks for baby," Jenifer Goodwin, Feb. 3, 2012