Birth injuries, while not exceedingly common, remain a significant concern, as they affect a small percentage of live births annually and every single new life is precious. These injuries can range from relatively mild issues that resolve over time to severe, lifelong disabilities.
Examples are varied and include physical trauma such as fractures, nerve damage like Erb’s palsy and more severe conditions such as cerebral palsy.
What causes birth injuries?
Several factors contribute to the occurrence of birth injuries. One primary cause is the physical pressure and stress on the baby during the passage through the birth canal, which can lead to bruising, nerve damage or fractures. Difficult or prolonged labor significantly increases the risk of injury. In such cases, the baby may be in an unfavorable position for delivery, such as breech presentation, the baby may be unusually large or the labor may stall, necessitating medical intervention.
Another critical concern is the skill and experience of attending healthcare professionals. Decisions made during labor and delivery, including the timing of interventions like cesarean sections, can have profound impacts on the outcome of the birth. Inadequate prenatal care and unrecognized maternal health issues can also contribute to the risk of birth injuries by leaving potential complications unaddressed until labor, when options may be more limited.
While the absolute risk of severe birth injuries remains relatively low, each injury’s potential impact on infants and their families can be profound. When a birth injury occurs under preventable circumstances and due to risks that should have been mitigated by adequate professional intervention, families impacted by this kind of harm may be in a position to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.