Unfortunately, a woman’s pregnancy and delivery can be complicated. When this happens, the newborn infant may be left with minor or serious birth injuries, depending on the circumstances. In certain cases, birth traumas can cause permanent deformities or impairments in the kid, even cerebral palsy.
Trauma that occurs before, during, or shortly after the birth of a baby can result in a birth injury. The severity of the condition varies from case to case, with some being potentially fatal. Other birth injuries, on the other hand, might be rather minor and require minimal attention. Occasionally, birth injuries can heal on their own and the infant can go on to have a normal life with minimal problems. As a result of their long-term effects, severe birth injuries may necessitate ongoing therapy.
Birth injuries are not deformities, and it’s crucial to keep this in mind. As a result of medical carelessness, they are not genetically predisposed to grow.
Common Injuries That Can Occur During Childbirth
A newborn may sustain a variety of birth injuries during labor, delivery, or the period immediately following delivery. Due to the lack of oxygen in the womb, many birth injuries directly damage the brain and can cause cerebral palsy. The following are examples of such injuries:
- Hypoxia. This occurs when a newborn does not receive enough oxygen. This can occur in any number of ways but often results from the umbilical cord becoming tangled around the baby’s neck.
- Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. At birth, a baby’s brain can be damaged by a lack of oxygen flow to the brain. More babies die each year as a result of this medical ailment than any other.
- Shoulder dystocia. As the name suggests, this medical ailment causes weakness in the baby’s shoulder muscles. When the baby’s shoulder becomes stuck during delivery, the nerves of the arm and shoulder might be damaged. As a result, the arm may be unable to flex or rotate. After many months, normal mobility returns in a minor case, but if the injury is more severe, it may never return.
- Caput succedaneum. This birth injury occurs when the soft tissues of the scalp enlarge. After a few days, the swelling may go down. Vacuum extraction might cause temporary harm.
- Cephalohematoma. Bleeding under the skull bones causes a cephalohematoma in babies. It can be cured in a few weeks to months, although some newborns acquire jaundice as a result of the illness.
- Facial Paralysis. When a nerve is damaged during childbirth, pressure on a baby’s face can cause facial paralysis. When forceps are employed, this is more than likely to occur. After a few weeks, the paralysis should go away, but if the nerve is torn, surgery may be necessary.
As a parent, you should be aware of how these injuries might occur and what legal options you have if your child has been injured at delivery according to these cerebral palsy lawyers. When birth injuries occur, it might be in the parent’s best interests to consult a lawyer.
