Traumatic Birth Injuries

• • - Difficult or traumatic births can increase the chances of a birth injury. Misuse of any birthing tools can easily harm a fragile baby. Some traumatic birth injuries include:

    • - - Brain damage – This can be caused by a number of conditions before, during and after birth. One of the most common causes is lack of oxygen to the baby’s brain, or fetal hypoxia. This can cause lifelong disabilities.

    • - - Spinal cord injury – Injury to a baby’s spinal cord can occur as the result of excessive force or misuse of instruments by the doctor during delivery.

    • - - Cerebral palsy – This condition is also caused by oxygen deprivation or some other injury which affects brain function. The result is delays in child development, abnormal body movements, vision and hearing problems and lack of muscle control.

    • - - Shoulder Dystocia – This injury occurs when the baby’s shoulder becomes stuck behind the mother’s pelvic bone during delivery. The doctor may use excessive force trying to dislodge the baby and injury results.

    • - - Erb’s Palsy – Caused by shoulder dystocia, this injury is the damaging of the nerves in the baby’s arm. It can lead to permanent limited movement or paralysis of the shoulder, arm and hand muscles. (http://www.articlesbase.com/law-articles/types-of-traumatic-birth-injuries-394384.html). (See medical malpractice).