Frequently Asked Questions about Birth Injuries

When parents-to-be go into the delivery room, they have high expectations of coming out with a healthy, happy baby to begin their new lives together. When a baby is injured in the process of being born, it can cause physical problems for the child and emotional challenges for the hopeful parents as they attempt to face life with a child who has suffered life-altering injuries.

Here are some questions and answers for those who are dealing with birth injuries:

What is a birth injury?

Birth injuries occur during the birth process as the baby moves through the birth canal or when the baby is deprived of oxygen. Many birth injuries are minor and resolve on their own. In other, less frequent cases, there can be broken bones and there can be head trauma and nerve damage

What are some common types of birth injuries?

There are several different kinds of birth injuries that can happen during the process of childbirth including the following;

• Cerebral Palsy
• Brachial Plexus Injury resulting from shoulder dystocia
• Caput succedaneum – severe swelling of the scalp as a result of vacuum extraction
• Traumatic brain injury
• Forceps bruises

These are examples of some of the more common types of birth injuries. According to Medscape, significant birth injury occurs in an average of 6-8 per 1000 live births.

What causes birth injuries?

Birth injuries are caused by a host of factors that occur during the labor and delivery process. Each type of injury has specific causes, some of which include:

• Large babies (weighing more than eight pounds, thirteen ounces)
• Premature babies (born before 37 weeks)
• Baby’s head is too big in proportion to the size of the mother’s pelvis
• Breech presentation (feet or bottom first)
• Failure to order a timely cesarean section
• Improper use of forceps
• Prolapsed umbilical cord
• Infection
• Over medication
• Preeclampsia and eclampsia
• Shoulder dystocia

Were my baby’s birth injuries caused by medical malpractice?

Any of the injuries listed above could have been caused by medical malpractice. However, an experienced birth injury attorney and his consulting physicians would have to conduct a full examination of the medical records in order to determine the cause of the birth injuries.

When you have a child who was injured at birth you will have countless questions that you will need answers for right away. The experienced and compassionate Memphis birth injury attorneys at Bailey & Greer PLLC, are eager to sit down with you and discuss your case. We are compassionate with our clients and we advocate aggressively on their behalf to win the compensation they deserve for their losses. Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case.