Birth Injuries: Common Types and Their Causes

The birth of a child is a miraculous and life-changing event, but it can sometimes be accompanied by unexpected complications. Birth injuries, which occur during labor and delivery, can pose significant challenges for both the newborn and their family.

Birth injuries can vary widely in type and severity, impacting both the immediate and long-term health of the newborn. In this post, we’ll explore some of the most common types of birth injuries, shedding light on their causes.

• Brachial Plexus Injuries: Damage to the nerves controlling the muscles of the arm and hand, often caused by shoulder dystocia during delivery.
• Cerebral Palsy: A group of neurological disorders affecting movement and coordination, often caused by brain damage during childbirth.
• Facial Nerve Injuries: Damage to the facial nerve during delivery, leading to facial paralysis.
• Fractures: Fractures of the clavicle or collarbone can occur during difficult deliveries.
• Intracranial Hemorrhage: Bleeding within the baby’s skull, which can lead to various complications.
• Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE): Lack of oxygen and blood flow to the baby’s brain, which can result in brain damage.
• Perinatal Asphyxia: Insufficient oxygen supply to the baby before, during, or after birth, leading to potential organ damage.
• Meconium Aspiration Syndrome: Inhaling meconium (the baby’s first stool) into the lungs, causing respiratory problems.
• Erb’s Palsy: A type of brachial plexus injury affecting the upper arm and shoulder.
• Caput Succedaneum: Swelling of the soft tissues of the baby’s scalp due to pressure during delivery.

Birth injuries can result from various factors and complications during the labor and delivery process. Some common causes of birth injuries include:

• Large Birth Weight: Babies with a high birth weight may face a higher risk of birth injuries, especially if the delivery is difficult.
• Prolonged Labor: Extended periods of labor can increase the risk of birth injuries, as the baby may experience pressure for an extended time.
• Abnormal Presentation: If the baby is not positioned properly for delivery (e.g., breech or transverse position), it can increase the likelihood of birth injuries.
• Assisted Delivery: The use of forceps or vacuum extraction during delivery can pose risks of injury to both the baby and the mother.
• Shoulder Dystocia: This occurs when the baby’s head passes through the birth canal, but the shoulders become stuck behind the mother’s pelvic bone. It can lead to brachial plexus injuries.
• Cephalopelvic Disproportion (CPD): When the baby’s head is too large to pass through the mother’s pelvis, it can result in difficulties during delivery.
• Medical Negligence: Errors or negligence on the part of healthcare providers, such as failure to monitor fetal distress or improper response to complications, can contribute to birth injuries.
• Maternal Health Conditions: Certain maternal health conditions, such as gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, can increase the risk of birth injuries.
• Use of Medications: Certain medications, when administered during labor, may have side effects that can contribute to birth injuries.
• Infections: Infections during pregnancy or delivery can increase the risk of complications and birth injuries.

Hospitals, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers may all be liable for a birth injury. Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky’s medical malpractice attorneys will work tenaciously to help you get all the compensation to which you may be entitled—including payments for pain and suffering, emotional trauma, past, and future medical expenses, lost income, and future earnings.

If you or a family member has been severely injured as a result of negligent prenatal care or delivery, or a family member has been killed by such malpractice, contact us today.