CHEONG, DENOVE, ROWELL & BENNETT
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Injury Definitions
Birth Injuries
Occasionally, during the birth process,
a baby may suffer a physical injury that
is simply a natural result of being
born. Other birth injuries, however, can
be caused by the negligence of the
hospital, Physician or nurse before,
during and following labor.
The following are common birth
injuries: brain damage, caput
succedaneum (severe swelling of the soft
tissues of
the baby's scalp),
cephalohematoma (an area of bleeding
between the bone and its fibrous
covering), bruising/forceps marks,
subconjunctival hemorrhage (the
breakage of small blood vessels in the
eyes of a baby), facial paralysis
(injury
to the facial nerve), brachial
palsy (the group of nerves that supplies
the arms and hands is injured), and
fractures. A
birth injury typically
occurs because of the baby's size or
the
position of the baby during labor and
delivery. |
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A common birth
injury that affects the baby’s brain is referred
to as cerebral palsy. This can be caused by a lack
of oxygen to the baby’s brain shortly before,
during, or immediately after delivery. Damage to
the brain can result in quadriplegia.
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To
prevent birth injuries it is important the
physician and the nurses carefully monitor
the
woman’s labor and pay careful attention to the
fetal heart monitor that can alert the health care
provider of fetal distress. If fetal distress is
detected and promptly acted upon, the chances of
severe or permanent brain injury is greatly
reduced. Treatment depends on the type of birth
injury sustained. Some birth injuries heal within
a few weeks, while others result in lifelong
problems. |
For related
information go to:
Quadriplegia and
Brain
Damage.
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