It is every parent’s wish to bring forth a baby that is healthy and free from any injury arising from whichever cause.
Before going deeper into this subject, it is crucial to define childbirth Injury for purposes of clarification. Childbirth injury refers to the damage that a child sustains before, during, or just after the birthing process. Such damage or injury might occur as a consequence of unavoidable circumstances or medical malpractice. However, there has been a significant reduction in cases revolving around childbirth injury because of improved prenatal assessment. This has been made possible through the use of the medical ultrasonography technique. Therefore, the medical practitioners and parents both have their roles cut out to prevent childbirth injury. When a pregnant mother visits the hospital as instructed by the doctor, she reduces childbirth injury chances because scenarios like wrong positioning of the fetus are detected and corrected early enough.
Several factors precipitate childbirth Injuries. As mentioned in the introduction, some causes are purely due to medical staff’s neglect. A practical example would be when the medical staff take long before attending to an expectant mother. Chances that the mother will experience fatigue, which affects her ability to push the baby, are high. Brachial plexus injury is much more likely to happen in such a case. It is for this reason that various law firms are taking the issue of childbirth lawsuits seriously. The main focus is to ensure the victims receive compensation for medical costs associated with the injury. Click here for more information.
Let us take a look at some common types of childbirth injuries;
- Bruising- Difficulty in childbirth can easily lead to bruising, especially on the head and face of the fetus. This is the result of pressure and friction on the mother’s pelvis.
- Brain damage- Brain damage may be caused by genetic mutations or physical stress during childbirth.
- Meconium aspiration syndrome- When the fetus is under pressure before or during delivery, the chance of meconium material being mixed with amniotic fluid is high. When these two substances enter the child’s lungs, meconium aspiration syndrome becomes active.
- Brachial plexus Injury- Brachial plexus refers to the nerve bundle from the neck to the hand. It is responsible for coordinating the movement of the arms and hands. During difficult childbirth, these nerves may be destroyed, paralyzing the function of the arms and hands.
Several childbirth injuries happen due to natural forces. However, this does not rule out that there are a substantial number of cases that happen due to negligence on the part of medical staff. Children are innocent beings, and they should not be made to suffer out of avoidable mistakes. Stringent measures must be adopted by relevant authorities to penalize errant medical staff. Victims, in this case, parents or guardians of children who have suffered as a result of negligence, should be encouraged to pursue justice by contacting a lawyer that is experienced in childbirth injuries, medical error, and medical negligence.
