What is a Birth Injury?

 Occasionally during the birth process, the baby may suffer a physical injury that is simply the result of being born. This is sometimes called birth trauma or birth injury. The mother may also be harmed during childbirth.

Around 700,000 births occur every year in the UK. Unfortunately, accidents do happen and when the results can be devastating. Sadly, a majority of birth injuries can be avoided and are often the result of incompetence on the part of the doctors involved or medical negligence by midwives not following procedures properly. Around seven out of every 1000 babies born will suffer an injury during the birth process.

Complications with delivery, medical inefficiencies, staffing issues or NHS funding problems can threaten the safety of mother and baby before, during and after the birth. Birth accidents can affect either the baby or the mother and often have serious implications for the health of both.

The mother can sustain;

  • Vaginal tears - This injury occurs during the birthing process sometimes due to the baby's head being large, or if it is in breech presentation (feet first) or if the mother has difficulty managing the pushing stage.
  • Fissures - Anal fissures can be caused due to over-straining and  excessive pressure.
  • Episiotomy - An episiotomy is a surgical incision made to assist the delivery of the baby. When complications occur or if suturing is not carried out correctly, this can result in excessive bleeding, infections or rectal problems.
  • Caesarean -  Caesarean sections are usually carried out if a baby is in a breech position, if a vaginal birth is not possible or if the mother elects in advance to give birth in this way. The procedure involves an incision being made in the mother's abdominal wall and then through the wall of the uterus. A Caesarean carries with it a risk of excessive bleeding and uterine infections.
  • Pre-eclampsia  - Pre-eclampsia only occurs during pregnancy. The main symptoms are high blood pressure and protein in the urine. Swelling, weight gain, headaches and a change in vision are other noticeable symptoms. Failure to manage pre-eclampsia can result in death or serious injury to both mother and baby.

Other common mistakes which can cause injuries to the mother include delays in performing Caesareans, miscalculating the baby's size and therefore not delivering the baby in the appropriate way, incorrect delivery of the baby and delivering the baby in an excessively forceful way that causes trauma.

 

Birth injuries to babies include;

  • Cerebral Palsy - If a baby is deprived of oxygen at or around the time of birth, then they may be diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral palsy can have serious implications for your baby's health. Its name refers to a group of permanent brain injuries. People suffering from this complex condition have limited motor skills, feeding problems, speech difficulties, learning disabilities and other associated problems.
  • Brachial Plexus Injury - A birth injury affecting the nerves in the brachial plexus network is extremely common in newborn babies. The brachial plexus network sends messages from the spine to the shoulder, arm and hand so that they can move and respond to impulses like heat. When this network is impaired, mobility and sensory abilities can be affected and in the worst cases, paralysis can occur.
  • Facial Palsy - Facial Palsy is also known as Bell's palsy, this condition paralyses one side of the face. The symptoms of Bell's palsy come on very quickly and can include numbness of the face, a dry mouth, difficulty speaking, loss of taste in the tongue, dryness or watering of affected eyes, dribbling when drinking or after cleaning teeth and ear pain.
  • Fractures - A skull fracture is one devastating example of a birth injury and is a break in the bone that surrounds the brain. Another fracture that can also occur is a clavicle (collarbone) fracture. It's easy to feel the clavicle as unlike other bones covered with muscle, only skin covers a large part of the bone.
  • Scarring - Scarring as a result of birth injuries and use of equipment by obstetricians is extremely common.
  • Hip dysplasia - Hip dysplasia is the abnormal development and growth of the hip joint. Both hips are usually affected, but only one side may show symptoms. Arthritis is a long term consequence of untreated dysplasia. Two in 1000 babies born may have a hip that is dislocated at birth.

What are the risk factors?

The following are some recognised risk factors for birth injury;

  • Abnormal presentation, a breech or irregular positioning of the baby in the womb
  • Premature birth before 37 weeks
  • Large birth weight, over 8 lbs 13 oz or 4kg.
  • Low birth weight
  • A baby’s large head size
  • A mother with very small stature and small or irregularly shaped pelvis
  • Difficult, prolonged, or rapid labour

 

 
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