Birth Injury
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Birth injuries are devastating to new parents. These injuries can happen because of the baby’s size, prolonged labor, premature births, or position in the birth canal. However, birth injuries can also happen because of:
- Medication that is administered to the mother before and during birth
- Forceps and vacuums used to forcibly remove the baby
- Complications during C-sections and other birth surgeries.
Birth injuries can also occur if the baby experiences a lack of oxygen during the delivery process, which unfortunately is common. Statistics show that for every 1,000 babies delivered, 27 suffer a birth injury.
Babies who suffer from birth injuries experience a range of symptoms, with the most common including facial paralysis, swelling or hemorrhaging in the head or eyes, damage to nerves in the hands and arms, collarbone fractures, and bleeding around the skull. While many infants recover with time, some experience permanent disfigurement, paralysis or neurological injury.
Certain medications, illegal drugs, smoking, environmental toxins, and trauma during birth have been linked to birth injuries. Unfortunately, it is often very difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the injury, and it usually takes people who specialize in birth injuries to uncover the cause.