Oct 28, 2022 in News Legal News

Legal News: What Are the Different Types of Birth Injuries?

In a study involving Austria, Canada, Norway and Sweden, Canada comes out on top. That's right, a natural birth is most likely to result in injury if you are in Canada.

What Are Birth Injuries?

Childbirth is supposed to be a joyous time, but there are a number of factors that can cause birth injuries. Some types of birth injuries can be due to natural causes, such as due to the position of the baby, others can be because of mistakes by healthcare professionals.

Simply, birth injuries are injuries suffered during the birthing process, which includes labour and delivery. Both mother and baby can suffer birth injuries, but in this article, we will focus on the baby.

How Common Are Birth Injuries?

Despite Canada's performance in the survey compared to Norway, Austria and Sweden, we still have a robust medical profession. Birth injuries are relatively rare, but when neonatal injuries do occur, 40% involve blood vessels and haemorrhage; 30% involve the nervous system; and 24% involve bone injuries.

What Are the Different Types of Birth Injuries

Some of the more common causes of birth injuries are:

• Bruising and forcep marks–The baby can suffer bruising while passing between the mother's pelvic bones and tissue. Even forceps used during delivery can leave marks on the face and head. In cases of vacuum extraction, the baby can suffer scalp bruising or cuts. 

• Caput succedaneum–Caput, a swelling of the soft tissues of the baby's scalp, can occur as the baby passes through the birth canal. Babies delivered using vacuum extraction are more likely to show signs of caput succedaneum.

• Cephalohematoma–This is bleeding between the skull and its fibrous covering, usually manifesting as a bump on the baby's head. It usually starts to show a few hours after birth and can take up to three months to disappear. If bleeding is significant, it can cause jaundice.

• Fractures–A collarbone, or clavicle, fracture is the most common type of fracture during the birthing process. It can break when there is a breech delivery or if the shoulder struggles to pass through.

• Subconjunctival hemorrhage–This occurs when small blood vessels in the baby's eyes break. Usual signs are bright red bands in the white part of the eye.

• Facial paralysis–Pressure on the baby's face during birth can injure the facial nerve. Facial paralysis can also occur when forceps are used during delivery. Some signs of injury are if there is no movement on one side of the face and the eye doesn't close.

• Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy–HIE can occur if the baby does not receive enough blood and oxygen to the brain, such as due to overstimulation by Pitocin. It is one of the most common types of brain damage during birth, and can cause cerebral palsy and periventricular leukomalacia.

There Are a Lot of Questions Surrounding Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

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Consulting a Birth Injury Lawyer

Birth injuries can affect your child's future profoundly, making it vital to get in touch with a birth injury lawyer if you suspect an injury. Book a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your child's health worry-free. We will help you understand your next steps and connect you with the best medical care.