Giving birth should be a joyful moment for parents. The arrival of a new child is cause for celebration.
Unfortunately, things can (and do) go wrong during childbirth. Pre-existing health issues and medical negligence (or both) may conspire to injure the infant.
Figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality suggest the birth trauma-neonatal injury rate is 1.9 per 1,000 live births in the U.S. Many incidents are not preventable, but some result from medical malpractice.
This article explores the most serious types of birth injuries parents encounter during childbirth. These are distinct from birth defects. Consult a birth injury lawyer if you have concerns that your child may have sustained a birth injury due to someone’s negligence.
Birth Asphyxia
Birth asphyxia occurs when babies can’t get adequate oxygen into their lungs, before, during, and shortly after birth. Prolonged deprivation can lead to serious brain injury and death.
Various factors can cause birth asphyxia, including amniotic fluid embolism, hemodynamic collapse, uterine rupture, umbilical cord prolapse, and infection. The longer these persist, the more damage they can cause.
Because of this, medical practitioners should take precautions to ensure birth asphyxia does not occur. These include monitoring the mother’s blood oxygen levels, using forceps carefully (to avoid pinching the umbilical cord), and delivering the child safely.
Failing to follow these safeguards can cause hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) – a medical term to describe oxygen deprivation injury. Babies subjected to this condition may suffer permanent damage and develop additional complications (described below).
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy sometimes falls under the “birth defect” category. However, it can also occur during or shortly after birth in cases of asphyxia, including HIE and drowning. Babies who do not get sufficient oxygen can’t mobilize the glucose in brain cells, causing some to die due to inadequate energy.
Medical teams should monitor the fetus for distress during childbirth to reduce this risk. Equipment should track the baby’s heart rate and detect evidence of oxygen deprivation.
Medics should also use instruments, like forceps and vacuums, correctly. Applying excess pressure can cause injuries that lead to cerebral palsy.
Brachial Plexus Injury
Brachial plexus injury occurs in one to three of every 1,000 births and involves the stretching, tearing, and compression of the nerves surrounding the spine, neck, and rib cage. Once damaged, babies can lose muscle function and experience paralysis (usually of the upper arm).
Fortunately, most injuries occur outside of the spinal cord (neurapraxia) and nerves recover during the first few months of life. However, in cases of avulsion, nerve damage occurs inside the spine and doctors can’t repair it with surgery.
Brachial plexus injury becomes more likely during forceful deliveries when medics try to pull the baby from the birth canal. It is also more probable if teams use improper techniques.
Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL)
Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL) is another serious birth injury that occurs when the white matter in the baby’s brain cannot get adequate oxygen. The condition normally develops at birth and can have severe developmental repercussions for the child, including impaired vision, learning difficulties, and cerebral palsy.
Most PVL cases occur alongside bleeding resulting from placental failure. During birth, the placenta tears away from the womb wall, causing blood and oxygen to stop flowing (and putting the other at risk). Cases can also occur if the umbilical becomes pinched.
Medics should adopt numerous strategies to prevent PVL complications. These include addressing prenatal care risks, such as infections and pre-eclampsia, and ensuring no obstruction of blood flow to the child. Doctors should also consider the risk-reward ratio of performing a C-section, should the baby fall into distress.
When medics do not take these precautions, PVL becomes more likely. The use of excessive force and failure to treat maternal health problems can lead to asphyxia and brain injury.
Intracranial Hemorrhage (ICH)
Intracranial hemorrhage is a medical term describing bleeding inside the skull. Babies can experience it inside the brain (intraparenchymal) or between the brain and skull (subarachnoid).
The consequences of ICH depend on the size and location of the bleed. Minor cases may not cause symptoms, but larger ruptures can lead to extensive brain damage affecting multiple regions.
The most severe cases increase intracranial pressure, causing internal swelling that shuts down blood flow to vital tissues. Some babies can experience seizures, causing them to move their bodies uncontrollably. Long-term ramifications include developmental delays in cognitive function, speech, and language, and severe learning difficulties, such as trouble with memory and attention.
Researchers consider most intracranial hemorrhage birth injuries. Damage typically occurs because of birth trauma resulting from physical injury to the baby’s skull or pre-existing complications.
ICH can occur naturally but it also results from medical malpractice. Aside from improper use of forceps and vacuums, it can also happen because of complications during birth. For example, doctors may fail to identify complications, such as babies coming out feet first or extra large babies who can’t fit down the birth canal. Delayed C-section is another risk factor: medics waiting too long to take mothers into surgery.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Researchers believe spinal cord injuries occur during childbirth because of hyperextension or excessive rotation of the baby’s neck during delivery. It can occur naturally during breech deliveries but also because of forceps use.
The severity of spinal cord injuries varies significantly. Some babies experience minor bruising while others suffer total paralysis. Common symptoms of the latter include trouble breathing, loss of bowel and bladder function, and absence of reflexes when stimulated.
Again, medical malpractice could be involved. Doctors may use improper delivery techniques or fail to recognize complications. Medics may also fail to identify complications during pregnancy that may later be pertinent to the birth.
What To Do About Serious Birth Injuries
Knowing your child has severe birth injuries can be emotionally challenging. Believing they resulted from medical malpractice can be even more devastating. Facing the medical costs that can be associated with caring for someone who suffered a birth injury can be overwhelming if you try to face them alone.
Therefore, always seek help. If you believe your child’s birth injuries are a consequence of medical malpractice, talk to a malpractice medical attorney to determine your next steps today.
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