A birth injury attorney in Lorain County can help you understand the types of birth injuries that may result from an assisted birth. As a parent, all you want from your labor and delivery is a healthy baby. However, complications during delivery may pose serious risk for injury.
Vacuum Extraction Birth Injuries
In some cases, a baby may become stuck in the birthing canal. Since the birthing canal is small, it can restrict the baby’s ability to breath or safely exit the canal, and that may put stress on the baby. To help the baby exit the birthing canal, a doctor may use vacuum extraction.
Vacuum extraction is the process of placing a suction mechanism on the baby’s head. When the suction is on, it produces a pressure that should gently bring the baby out of the birthing canal.
As you can imagine, placing suction on a soft, delicate head of a baby may prove dangerous if done incorrectly. If the doctor isn’t careful, the suction may lead to injuries to the child.
While some birth injuries from vacuum extraction are mild, some can be life-altering. For example, bruising and abrasions are minor irritants that arise from vacuum extraction, and they usually disappear within a few hours to a few days. However, skull trauma, hemorrhage, nerve injury and other injuries may occur in some cases.
In some cases, the doctor may have used too much suction on the baby’s head; while in other cases, they may have incorrectly applied the device to the head or may have incorrectly removed the device from the baby’s head.
Forceps Birth Injuries
The use of forceps is another way to help the baby move through the birthing canal. Forceps look like tongs, and doctors use them to grab the baby and pull him or her out. These are often used when the baby is distressed, is in an abnormal position or the mother cannot push. It’s imperative the doctor use the forceps with great care to avoid birth injury.
If a doctor uses too much force on the baby with the forceps, incorrectly uses the forceps to grab the baby or otherwise incorrectly uses the instrument, injury to the baby may be the result. Possible risks associated with this delivery method may include minor facial injuries, nerve injury, skull trauma, hemorrhage and more.
The effects of assisted birth complications may be serious in some cases, which may greatly affect your baby throughout his or her life. If you are concerned with injuries sustained during birth, see your pediatrician to assess the seriousness of any conditions and whether treatment or further evaluation is required. If you would like to explore a filing a claim, talk to a birth injury county in Lorain County.
Seek Justice for You and Baby
When you go into the labor and delivery room, you trust doctors and nurses to know what to do and when to do it to keep you and your baby safe. When a birth injury results from a mistake a doctor or nurse makes in delivering your baby, it’s only natural to become upset. You placed your trust in the medical community, and they may have failed you.
If your baby has suffered a birth injury from an assisted birth, you may be able to recover damages. An experienced birth injury attorney in Lorain County at The Becker Law Firm can help determine if you have a legitimate case against a doctor or hospital that delivered your baby. Contact them for a free case evaluation today (440) 252-4399.