Birth injuries happen when something goes wrong during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or right after birth. Some injuries are unavoidable, but others occur due to medical negligence by doctors, nurses, or midwives. This can include failing to notice warning signs, waiting too long to act, or using too much force during delivery, leading to preventable harm to the baby or mother.
When a doctor’s mistake leads to an injury that could have been prevented, that’s called medical negligence. In these cases, birth injury attorneys can help parents take legal action to get financial help for their child’s care and to hold those responsible accountable.
Table of Contents
The Most Common Birth Injuries Caused by Medical Negligence
Here are some of the most common types of birth injuries that occur because of medical personnel who partook in the birth process:
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
HIE is one of the most serious birth injuries a baby can suffer. It happens when a baby’s brain doesn’t get enough oxygen and blood flow during birth, causing brain cells to die.
If doctors act fast, they can reduce the damage using a treatment called therapeutic hypothermia (cooling therapy), where they lower the baby’s body temperature to slow brain cell death.
But this only works if it’s done within six hours of birth. If doctors miss the warning signs of oxygen deprivation or don’t act quickly, the baby could be left with lifelong disabilities like developmental delays and motor issues.
Kernicterus
Kernicterus is a type of brain damage caused by untreated jaundice. Newborn jaundice is common and usually harmless, but if doctors don’t monitor bilirubin levels (the substance that causes yellowing of the skin), it can build up in the baby’s brain and cause permanent damage.
Symptoms include hearing loss, movement disorders, and speech problems. Since jaundice is easy to detect and treat with phototherapy (light therapy), cases of kernicterus are almost always due to medical negligence.
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a disorder that affects movement, muscle tone, and posture. While some cases happen naturally, many are caused by medical mistakes.
Doctors can cause cerebral palsy by failing to monitor the baby’s heart rate during labor, misusing forceps or vacuum extractors, delaying a necessary C-section, or mishandling umbilical cord complications.
If a baby is deprived of oxygen for too long during delivery, brain cells start to die, increasing the risk of cerebral palsy. This condition can range from mild coordination issues to severe muscle control problems, and unfortunately, all of these can affect the child for life.
Brachial Plexus Injuries
The brachial plexus is a group of nerves in the neck that control arm movement. If these nerves are stretched or torn during birth, the baby can have weakness, loss of movement, or even paralysis in the arm.
This often happens when a baby’s shoulders get stuck in the birth canal (shoulder dystocia), and the doctor pulls too hard on the baby’s head. In some cases, a C-section should be done to prevent this injury.
Head Trauma from Assisted Delivery
Doctors sometimes use forceps or vacuum extractors to help deliver a baby when labor isn’t progressing. While these tools can be necessary, they must be used carefully.
If too much force is applied, the baby can suffer skull fractures, brain bleeds, or long-term brain damage. Since newborn skulls are soft, rough handling during an assisted delivery can leave lasting effects on them.
Bone Fractures
A baby’s bones are delicate, and in a difficult delivery, they can break, especially the collarbone. If a doctor pulls too hard or improperly uses delivery instruments, fractures can happen.
In some cases, a C-section could have prevented the injury. If a doctor fails to recognize when surgery is needed and lets the baby suffer the fractures, they can be held liable for the injuries.
