Birth injuries usually involve injuries to a baby as a result of complications during labor and delivery. What are common birth injuries? They range from minor bruising to nerve and brain damage, although most birth injuries do not result from medical malpractice. Here are a few examples of birth injuries that can occur.
Bruising and Forceps Marks
Often a baby receives bruises simply from passing through the birth canal, and from contact with the mother’s pelvic bones and tissues. If forceps are used, they can leave temporary marks or bruises on the baby’s head. Vacuum extraction can also cause bruising to the head, or scalp laceration.
Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
A common childbirth injury, this results in bright red bands around the iris of one or both eyes. This doesn’t cause any damage to the eyes, and should disappear within a week to 10 days.
Caput Succedaneum
A severe swelling of the baby’s scalp, usually occurring after vacuum extraction. The swelling tends to dissipate after a few days.
Cephalohematoma
Bleeding between the bone and its fibrous covering. In childbirth this is normally seen on the baby’s head. This type of injury in most cases resolves itself within two weeks to three months. If the cephalohematoma is very large, you may notice that your baby becomes jaundiced due to the breakdown of red blood cells.
Facial Paralysis
A baby’s facial nerves may become injured due to pressure on the baby’s face during labor or birth, or due to the use of forceps. Minor bruising should not be a problem, as this means the paralysis should clear up within a few weeks. Severe nerve damage, however, may require surgery to repair the damaged facial nerves.
Other injuries include fractured bones and brain injury. The collarbone is most commonly broken during difficult births or breech delivery. Most babies recover quickly once the bone is immobilized. Sometimes birth difficulties result in oxygen deprivation to the baby’s brain, leading to the development of conditions such as cerebral palsy. Blood loss or compression of the umbilical cord can cause oxygen loss.
For more information on your legal entitlements, it is important to speak with skilled birth injury attorneys, medical malpractice attorneys, nursing home negligence attorneys, truck accident attorneys, defective product attorneys, wrongful death attorneys, and Scranton, Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers for a consultation.