Although modern technology and medical advances have made childbirth safer, there are still ways in which a birth injury can happen during the birthing process. A newborn is susceptible to a birth injury before, during, or immediately after birth. Unfortunately, birth injuries are not as uncommon as you may think, and in some cases, the long-term effects can be devastating. Here’s what you need to know.
Contributing Factors in Birth Injuries
From maternal conditions and infant conditions to physical injures during childbirth, there are many contributing factors to the cause of a birth injury. For example, the improper use of medical tools, like forceps and vacuum extraction, can damage a child’s brain during delivery. If a physician fails to give the mother and child the standard quality of care that is required by medical professionals, a birth injury can happen. Here are some common reasons for negligence:
- Failing to inform parents of a baby’s abnormalities which can result in wrongful birth.
- Failing to adequately assist parents to avoid pregnancy, for example, a badly performed hysterectomy which can result in a wrongful birth.
- Failing to make a diagnosis or delayed diagnosis that affects the outcome of childbirth.
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The Long-Term Effects of Birth Injuries
If a newborn sustains a birth injury during labor, there can be lifelong devastating consequences. Here are some common long-term effects.
- Cerebral palsy – a result of damage to the brain during birth due to oxygen deprivation.
- Facial paralysis – when too much pressure is placed on the baby’s face during delivery, facial nerve damage can occur.
- Chronic seizures – oxygen deprivation during delivery can lead to chronic seizures.
- Brachial plexus – damage to the nerves in the upper spine to the neck, shoulder, arm, and hand can result in a permanent disability.
- Paralysis – the forceful use of forceps can cause damage to the spinal cord or spinal cord nerves and can result in paralysis as well as neurological problems.
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Contact a Birth Injury Lawyer
If you and your loved ones are coping with a child who has sustained a birth injury during delivery, our experienced birth injury lawyers are here to help. The law team at Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi has been helping victims of medical malpractice in the Memphis Tri-State area since 1970.
We are here for you. Our phones are answered hours a day. Contact us today at (901) 526-2126.
(901) 526-2126
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April 18, 2013
