Sometimes the process of giving birth in North Carolina does not go entirely smoothly and may result in an injury to your newborn infant. If the injury is severe, it can have lifelong impacts.
There are many factors at play when delivering a baby, so even if there was a severe birth injury, it is not always a simple matter to determine if medical malpractice was at play in your child’s delivery. Medical malpractice is when medical staff provides unskilled, negligent or improper treatment that results in harm to a patient.
Examples of birth injuries
Common birth injuries include fractures and breakages of blood vessels, such as the specific injuries in this list provided by Stanford Children’s Health:
- A fracture may occur on your baby’s collarbone or clavicle.
- The nerves connecting to the hands and arms may be damaged.
- Pressure on your baby’s face may lead to injured facial nerves.
- The delicate blood vessels in your baby’s eyes could be damaged.
- The soft cranial bones may have developed bleeding underneath.
- The head becomes bruised or swollen.
This list is not exhaustive, but it does cover the more common birth injuries.
Causes of birth injuries
Sometimes when forceps or vacuums are used in delivery, an injury can occur. Injuries may also result from a cesarean section. These methods can sometimes lead to an injury as a result of medical error.
Other causes include an irregular shape or size of your birth canal, a very long or difficult labor, a premature birth, or an unusually large baby. If your baby was positioned with his or her feet coming out first instead of the head, it can also cause complications.