Birth injuries have the potential to turn a family’s happiest day into a tragedy. When things go wrong during labor and delivery, the expectant mother and her unborn child are both potentially at risk. Injuries sustained during birth can increase a newborn’s support needs, compromise their development and reduce their quality of life. They can also prove devastating for the family.
Obstetric professionals generally need to monitor the labor process to ensure the well-being of both mother and child. In scenarios where there are signs of distress or obvious medical complications, health care professionals may need to intervene.
Even when interventions are necessary, health care professionals should try to limit what actions they take and start with the least-invasive options available. The unfortunate reality is that the improper use of labor and delivery interventions can cause injuries to otherwise healthy infants.
Birth assistance can cause physical trauma
Two of the most common interventions involve physicians assisting the mother as she pushes. They may use vacuum extraction tools to help move the child down the birth canal. Other times, they may use four sets to grip and manipulate the child’s body.
Both of these interventions can cause serious, preventable birth injuries. They are actually listed as a causative factor for birth injuries in research. Forceps are known to cause fractures in facial bones and trauma to the eyes. Both vacuum extraction and forceps deliveries can cause Erb’s palsy and injuries to the neck. They can also cause tearing and internal trauma for the woman.
Interventions often cascade into each other
Sometimes, one intervention that seems necessary can disrupt the natural birthing process. Health care professionals may then need to employ a series of increasingly invasive interventions, possibly culminating in a surgical delivery.
Doctors also need to ensure that the interventions they use are accepted as safe during labor and delivery. Ideally, health care professionals should only intervene when it is medically necessary and should take great care to limit the risk of injury to the mother and her unborn child.
When interventions cause preventable birth injuries, families may have grounds for medical malpractice lawsuits. They can seek compensation for increased medical expenses, lost wages and other economic consequences associated with the birth injury. Holding health care professionals accountable can compensate families and inspire better practices at hospitals and other birth centers.