Birth Injury

Medical errors and medical negligence can lead to a wide range of birth injuries. Some of these injuries can result in lifelong disability, loss of mobility, brain damage, and more. What are some common birth injuries?

• Cerebral Palsy is a condition that affects movement. A baby can develop cerebral palsy as a birth injury if medical providers fail to address uterine rupture or issues with the umbilical cord.
• Brachial Plexus Injury. The brachial plexus is a set of nerves that run from the spinal cord to the shoulders, arms, and hands. When these nerves are stretched, ripped, compressed, or even torn, the baby can experience paralysis or weakness in the arms or hands.
• Brain Injury or Brain Death. If the baby is deprived of oxygen during childbirth and delivery, either due to the umbilical cord getting twisted, blood loss due to uterine rupture, or other issues, the baby can suffer brain damage or die due to lack of oxygen to the brain. Permanent brain damage can result leading to loss of motion, loss of function, memory and learning issues, and severe disability requiring lifelong, long-term care.
• Caput Succedaneum is a swelling of the head. The condition usually heals on its own but may require additional care.
• Facial Paralysis. Forceps injuries or injuries that occur when the baby is moving through the birth canal can result in injury to the facial nerve. If the nerve is only slightly injured, the facial paralysis can sometimes heal, but sometimes surgery may be required if the facial nerve was torn.
• Spinal Cord Injuries can occur if a neck injury occurs during childbirth.
• Clavicle fractures are the most common newborn injuries and can occur if the forceps aren’t used properly or if a C-Section isn’t ordered when it is needed.

These are just some of the injuries that can occur during childbirth to the infant. The mother can also suffer serious injuries if maternal care isn’t properly considered during the childbirth process. Maternal injuries include:

• Pelvic Organ Prolapse. Injury to the pelvic floor during delivery and childbirth can lead to pelvic organ prolapse, which is a condition where the organs slip down into the vagina. Symptoms can include feelings of heaviness around the genitals that don’t go away after you’ve given your body time to heal following delivery, vaginal discomfort, seeing organs protruding from the vagina, or problems urinating. Research indicates that as many as 58% of women might experience some kind of pelvic floor disorder after childbirth. Some of these symptoms are relatively minor, and involve stress incontinence, which results in women experiencing incontinence when laughing, coughing, running, lifting, or performing any activity that puts pressure on the bladder.
• Vaginal Tears. Tears to the vagina or rectum can also occur during childbirth. In many cases these tears are minor and heal with time. But sometimes doctors or nurses can cause a vaginal tear by the forceful use of forceps or by improperly performing surgical procedures to aid in vaginal delivery. Third degree tears can extend from the vagina to the anus, involve injury to the muscle, and can cause damage to the muscle that control the anal sphincter. A fourth-degree tear is a complete tear that goes from the vagina to the anal sphincter and can lead to major dysfunction. Vaginal tears can occur naturally if the baby is too large or if this is a woman’s first delivery, but tears can also occur if forceps are improperly used, vacuum is improperly used, or if errors are made during childbirth by doctors and nurses.
• Preeclampsia. High blood pressure during pregnancy, if not caught in time can lead to complications in the pregnancy, and even liver and kidney damage in the mother. Risk factors can include a first pregnancy, twins or multiples, obesity, being older than 35 years old, having a history of diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney disease, or having a history of thyroid disease. Many of the most severe complications of preeclampsia can be prevented if it is caught early, but sadly, there have been many cases where the condition wasn’t caught in time, resulting in complications to the mother and baby.
• Mistakes made during delivery and with aftercare can result in infections which can become life-threatening if left untreated.

These are just some of the injuries mothers can suffer during childbirth. In some of the most extreme cases, bleeding or infection can lead to maternal death. If you suffered an injury during childbirth, the birth injury lawyers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at Scanlon & Wojton: Attorneys at Law are here to help you.