What Are Some Common Preventable Injuries Due to Childbirth?
The majority of births occur without incident. However, preventable mistakes may happen during the birthing process. For example, a physician could fail to properly monitor your child’s health during labor and delivery. As a result, your child could experience a severe birth injury. Some common preventable injuries during childbirth include:
Brachial Plexus Injury
The brachial plexus is a group of nerves that provide movement and sensation to the shoulder, arm, hand and fingers. During childbirth, a baby’s brachial plexus can become injured. This most often occurs during vaginal deliveries with a shoulder dystocia. A shoulder dystocia occurs when a baby’s shoulder is stuck behind the mother’s pelvis during labor.
Many neonatal brachial plexus injuries are preventable. For example, a physician may miss the warning signs for shoulder dystocia such as the baby’s size being too big to deliver vaginally. Additionally, a physician may apply too much force or pressure to release the dystocia and an injury could occur. In both of these scenarios, the family of the newborn may have a viable medical malpractice case.
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a condition resulting from a brain injury that affects the body’s ability to control movement and posture. It is often caused by damage to the developing brain before, during or after childbirth. There are many signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy, including:
- Difficulty feeding
- Developmental delays
- Trouble with basic motor skills
- Reduced or Increased muscle tone
- Difficulty swallowing
- Walks on tip toes
During labor and delivery, doctors should take the necessary precautions to avoid injury to the baby. If they fail to take these necessary precautions, and a baby develops cerebral palsy, the family may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Contact Our Birth Injury Lawyers
Has your child suffered from a serious birth injury due to medical error or negligence during childbirth? At Grant & Eisenhofer P.A., our birth injury attorneys can help you review your legal options. Contact us today at (877) 262–9767 or fill out our online contact form. We look forward to answering any questions that you may have.
