Opinion ID: 2403835
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Labor and Delivery

Text: On the morning of Sunday, October 22, 1989, at approximately 10:00 a.m., Mrs. Tammera McCool (Mrs. McCool) telephoned her treating obstetrician, Dr. Gehret. She informed him that she was experiencing the preliminary onset of contractions. Dr. Gehret told her to call back through his answering service when her labor became more serious. Later in the afternoon, Mrs. McCool again telephoned Dr. Gehret and described her symptoms to him. He advised her to go to the Medical Center of Delaware. Mrs. McCool was admitted as a patient at approximately 5:20 p.m. She was accompanied by her husband, Paul McCool, and her father-in-law. At 8:00 p.m., Dr. Gehret arrived at the Medical Center and examined Mrs. McCool. After Dr. Gehret's initial examination of Mrs. McCool, he continued to monitor her progress every thirty to forty-five minutes until approximately midnight when Mrs. McCool became fully dilated. At 1:30 a.m., after the labor had failed to progress, Dr. Gehret attempted to complete a vaginal delivery by forceps. He determined, however, that a cephalopelvic disproportion would prevent a vaginal delivery. Dr. Gehret then performed a caesarian section and delivered a healthy baby boy at approximately 2:00 a.m., Monday, October 23. After the delivery, Dr. Gehret noticed bleeding from the right side of the incision as he was suturing Mrs. McCool. The record reflects that the source of the bleeding was likely a tear resulting from the removal of the baby. There was no contention by any witness that the development of such bleeding was medical negligence. Dr. Gehret sutured the bleeding area, determined the bleeding had stopped, and then completed the closure of Mrs. McCool's incision.