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Personal Injury Law Blog

Birth injuries can lead to serious life-long issues

Giving birth to a child is something that comes with a lot of uncertainty. In the best cases, the baby is born without incident. In the worst cases, the baby or the mother suffers an injury during the birth. That injury can lead to life-long troubles or even death. If the birth injury was caused by an error made by the medical staff, there is a chance that you might opt to seek compensation to help cover the damages associated with the birth injury.

There are several possible birth injuries that can occur. The ultimate effect that the injury has on your life and the life of your child depends on the severity and type of injury. Some injuries, such as asphyxia can have life-long effects while others like bruising usually resolve over time and don’t cause any long-lasting effects.

Perinatal asphyxia is an injury that can occur when the baby doesn’t get the blood necessary from the placenta. It is crucial that proper monitoring occurs throughout labor and delivery to determine if there are possible issues occurring. Perinatal asphyxia can lead to neurologic damage that will last the rest of the child’s life. In severe cases, the baby can die.

Another problem that can occur during birth is a nerve injury. This is often associated with a difficult birth, such as one that requires the use of forceps. Using proper precautions when there is a difficult delivery can often help to reduce this issue. Some nerve injuries resolve over time, but others will require life-long care.

Source: Merck Manual Consumer Version, “Birth Injury,” Arthur E. Kopelman, MD, accessed March 17, 2016