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Injuries Sustained at Birth Can Often Last a Lifetime
By malpractice
A birth injury is any damage sustained during the birthing process, most often occurring during transit through the birth canal. A difficult birth or an injury to the baby may occur because of the baby’s size or the position of the baby during labor and delivery. Birth injuries may occur, also, if the birth canal is too small or the fetus is too large (this sometimes occurs when the mother has diabetes). The rate of birth injuries is much lower than in previous decades, but birth injuries do still happen and the results can often be devastating to the life of the child.
The following is a list of conditions that may be associated with a difficult birth:
- Premature babies (babies born before 37 weeks)
- Prolonged labor
- Shoulder Dystocia
- Abnormal birth position
- Large babies (more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces)
- Cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD)
Some of the resulting injuries of these difficult births include:
- Caput succedaneum: This is a severe swelling of the soft tissues of the baby’s scalp that develops as the baby travels through the birth canal. The swelling usually disappears in a few days without problems.
- Cephalohematoma: This is an area of bleeding between the bone and its fibrous covering. If the area of bleeding is large, some babies may develop jaundice as the red blood cells break down.
- Facial paralysis: During labor or birth, pressure on a baby’s face may cause the facial nerve to be injured. Forceps may also cause this. The injury is often seen when the baby cries for the first time as there is no movement on the side of the face with the injury and the eye cannot close.
- Fractures: Fractures of the clavicle (collarbone) is the most common fracture during labor and delivery. The clavicle may break when there is difficulty delivering the baby’s shoulder or during a breech birth.
- Brachial palsy: Brachial plexus injury (also known as Erb’s Palsy) occurs when the brachial plexus (group of nerves that supplies the arms and hands) is injured. This happens often when there is shoulder dystocia. Tearing of the nerve may result in permanent nerve damage. A newborn with Erb’s palsy will have his arm straight down at his side and will not move it and sometimes the arm may be slightly turned with a bent wrist and straight fingers.
- Cerebral palsy: CP is a permanent and irreversible crippling condition that affects the brain and central nervous system. Possible causes of CP during the birth process are unrecognized or untreated signs of fetal distress; the baby being stuck in the birth canal because of its size or position; placenta being prematurely sheared by the birth process; and untreated umbilical cord compression.
- Respiratory infection: Babies may occasionally inhale blood or fecal matter during the birthing process and develop a serious respiratory infection.
The birth of a child is supposed to be one of the most joyous occasions in an adult’s life, and most deliveries go smoothly and as expected. However, complications do arise during pregnancy and delivery, and these problems may result in serious and long-term injury to your newborn baby. If the harm to your baby was unavoidable, it is important to be aware of your legal rights regarding the birth of your newborn. Contact a personal injury attorney for more information about filing possible compensation and punitive damage claims.
Injuries sustained after death, such as those from the recalled Graco cribs (more info) are not covered under malpractice, but are still personal injury and wrongful death cases. You should contact an attorney if your child was injured by a defective product as well.
Topics: Medical Malpractice |