Birth injuries are some of the most tragic that can happen to a person because in all cases they are entirely preventable. They leave a permanent and lasting impact on their victims, who are the most vulnerable. For better or worse, the factors contributing to a birth injury are so common that it’s possible to outline them. By taking note of what can cause a birth injury, you’ll be in a much better position to prevent it from ever happening – or identify the person responsible for it.
Mistakes During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is when a child is most vulnerable to outside factors given their early stage of development. During this time, a mother’s actions, which are highly dependent on the level of medical care she is (or isn’t) receiving, can impact a child for the rest of their life. Therefore, a mother who isn’t given adequate advice or care is at risk of inadvertently hurting her child, especially if her body is in any way compromised. This can happen if the mother faces any of the following scenarios:
- 1. A mother gets sick and has to fight an infection
- 2. During pregnancy, a mother drinks alcohol, takes drugs or smokes
- 3. A doctor doesn’t inform a mother about a new or pre-existing medical condition
- 4. The mother isn’t properly advised on the best ways to care for herself and her growing child
In many of these cases, a medical professional can be held ultimately responsible for negative outcomes experienced by mother and child. A mother with a weakened body due to poor nutrition, an undiagnosed sickness, such as maternal diabetes, or because she was prescribed medication that isn’t suitable for pregnant women, may be more prone to birth injury during delivery. It’s important to keep records of the type of care a mother received during this time in her life if she or the child does face a birth injury to help them obtain compensation.
Mistakes During Delivery
Another set of common mistakes may occur during the actual delivery of a mother’s child. In general, medical care providers who are again negligent in their duties may predispose a mother and child to significant and easily avoidable harm. This makes it important to seek out the assistance of a birth-related injury attorney if you feel that you or your child has been a victim of a birth injury. Unfortunately, there are some common forms of neglect of which these care providers could be guilty, including the following:
- 5. Doctors fail to treat or diagnose a mother’s infection or new condition
- 6. The child is roughly handled during delivery or the wrong delivery tools are used
- 7. The child is asphyxiated during delivery
- 8. The mother requires a C-section but it’s not delivered in time
Types Types of Birth Injuries
These are some of the most common types of birth injuries that a mother or child can experience:
- Umbilical cord prolapse
- Blood loss
- Infection
- Erb’s Palsy
- Cerebral Palsy
- Brachial plexus injuries
- Diabetes
- Broken or fractured bones
- Rh incompatibility
If you or your child have suffered from any of these injuries, speaking with a professional birth injury attorney should be of the highest importance. You and your child may be entitled to compensation that can help to cover medical costs and lost future wages, improving your family’s quality of life.
No one wants to see their child suffer from a birth injury, and no mother wants to experience one while pregnant or during delivery. Knowing the common mistakes that lead to birth injuries can help you to potentially avoid them if you see the warning signs early. On the other hand, they may also help you rebuild from your losses if you aren’t able to prevent them from occurring but can at least identify how they happened.
About the Author
Katherine Webre is a passionate writer with years of experience in legal. She has dedicated her career to represent the most vulnerable among us, children who have suffered severe injustice. Beyond legal action, Katherine also takes up the pen to raise awareness and inform audiences about birth injuries. By sharing her expertise, she hopes to empower people to act against any prejudice and works as a collaborative editor for Birth Injury Lawyer.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
