Medical Errors That Cause Birth Injuries | Learn Symptoms and Treatments

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The birth of a child should be a time of joy and excitement for you and your family. However, when a doctor's preventable medical mistake harms your innocent baby, these positive emotions often turn to sadness and frustration. Learn about common medical errors that lead to birth injuries, the different types of treatment options, and available financial support.

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What Are the Most Common Medical Mistakes That Lead to Birth Injuries?

There are many different causes of birth injuries. Some are natural and beyond anyone’s control. For example, a very large baby can cause complications during delivery if they can’t fit through the birth canal.

Sadly, errors made by doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals may also lead to many birth injuries. These mistakes can occur before, during, or shortly after delivery.

One medical error can cause a child to suffer lifelong health problems.

Here is a look at some common medical mistakes that lead to birth injuries:

During Pregnancy

Not all birth injuries occur during childbirth. Some birth injuries happen because a doctor or other medical professional failed to screen or treat the mother for health conditions that placed her and her baby at risk.

Maternal conditions that can cause birth injuries when left untreated include:

Diabetes
High blood pressure (preeclampsia)
Maternal infection
Obesity

During Delivery

Obstetricians and members of an expectant mother’s care team have been trained to deliver babies in all situations, including when there are complications. However, the results can be tragic when there is poor communication between delivery team members or if a doctor flat out makes a medical mistake.

Medical errors during delivery that can lead to birth injuries include:

Delayed delivery
Failure to notice fetal distress
Failure to recognize the baby is positioned feet or bottom first (breech)
Forcefully yanking on a baby as they exit the birth canal
Improper use of forceps or vacuum extraction
Performing a vaginal birth instead of a medically necessary C-section (cesarean section)
Slow response to an emergency

All of the above can cause serious injury to the mother and baby. In some cases, birth trauma can lead to permanent brain damage in the child and even death.

After Childbirth

Even after a child has been delivered, a doctor or nurse can make a medical mistake that can cause a severe birth injury. Medical professionals are supposed to monitor the infant and mother after birth and look for signs of complications. When they fail to do so, the results can be devastating.

Medical errors that can occur soon after birth include:

Failure to control blood loss
Failure to diagnose and treat newborn jaundice
Failure to monitor the infant’s vital signs and oxygen levels
Failure to test the mother and baby for blood type incompatibility

Indeed, many other medical mistakes can lead to birth injuries. If you suspect a preventable medical error caused your child’s birth injury, a skilled birth injury lawyer may be able to help.

A birth injury attorney is a type of personal injury lawyer who specializes in medical malpractice claims.

Get a free case review to find out if you may be eligible for financial assistance.

Types of Birth Injuries Caused by Medical Mistakes

Medical mistakes before, during, and soon after birth can lead to many different types of birth injuries. Common birth injuries include:

Brain Damage

When the brain does not get enough oxygen, brain damage can occur. A total lack of oxygen to the brain is an anoxic brain injury. In contrast, a reduced oxygen supply causes a hypoxic brain injury.

It can be scary when your child suffers brain damage from a birth injury. However, babies can recover from mild cases of brain damage. Sadly, when the damage is more severe, children often develop serious health conditions that can affect them for the rest of their lives.

A doctor who fails to monitor a baby’s oxygen levels before and during delivery can cause damage to a newborn’s developing brain.

Cerebral Palsy (CP)

Cerebral palsy is a group of neurological disorders that affects a person’s movement, balance, and posture. It is the most common childhood motor disability. Symptoms differ from person to person. One person with CP, for example, might need aids to walk while another person might not.

Many people with CP also have other health conditions like intellectual disabilities, seizures, and speech and hearing problems.

An obstetrician who misuses forceps, waits too long to respond to fetal distress, or fails to treat a maternal infection can cause CP.

Erb's Palsy

Erb’s palsy, also known as brachial plexus palsy, occurs when the nerves that feed the arms and hands are injured.

When a doctor has difficulty delivering a baby’s shoulder (shoulder dystocia), Erb’s palsy is likely to occur.

Infants with a brachial plexus injury have problems flexing and rotating the injured arm. Many babies with this condition heal on their own. Unfortunately, others with torn nerves may end up with permanent nerve damage.

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

HIE, short for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, is a type of brain dysfunction that happens when the brain does not get enough oxygen or blood flow. The amount of brain damage usually depends on how long the brain is without oxygen.

Additionally, HIE can cause damage to the heart, liver, and other vital organs.

Some children will have no health problems, while others may experience severe and permanent disabilities, including cerebral palsy and developmental delays.

Medical professionals who fail to treat a maternal infection, monitor fetal distress, or prevent prolonged labor place babies at risk for HIE.

Signs and Symptoms of Birth Injury Caused by Medical Mistakes

Although some birth injuries can be easy to spot, others can go undetected for months or even years after childbirth.

Some signs of birth injuries include:

Early signs:

Breathing problems
Cuts, bruises, or swelling on the baby’s face or head
Lack of muscle tone or “floppy” appearance
One arm that seems limp
Pale or bluish skin tone
Seizures

Later signs:

An inability to crawl, sit up, and walk
Feeding issues
Hearing or vision problems
Muscle control and coordination issues

A child failing to hit a developmental milestone could also signal a birth injury.

If you are worried that something might be wrong with your child, get medical care as soon as possible. Early treatment can be vital to treating a birth injury.

Consequences of Birth Injuries Caused by Medical Mistakes

When a medical provider makes a mistake during the birthing process, there are often consequences for the baby and the mother. Some of these effects are short-term, while others can result in permanent impairments.

Short-Term Outcomes

These medical issues typically appear in babies soon after birth and are likely to heal on their own or with proper medical care.

Short term effects may include:

Babies:

Bone fractures
Newborn jaundice
Scalp injuries
Swelling and bruising

Mothers:

Blood loss
Dangerously low or high blood pressure
Injury to the uterus, bowel, or bladder
Serious tears to the vagina or uterus

Doctors can cause many of these injuries when they use forceps and other assistive devices to deliver an infant.

The good news is that these injuries are treatable. However, when ignored, they can lead to permanent damage and, in the worst-case scenario, threaten the mother’s life.

Long-Term Outcomes

Unfortunately, the long-term outcomes of a birth injury can be life-altering for some victims and their loved ones.

Here are some of the more common long-term effects:

Brain damage
Cerebral palsy
Erb’s palsy
Kernicterus
Spinal cord injury

Mothers can face long-term health complications, too. Untreated infections, for example, can cause organ damage.

When doctors misuse forceps and other assistive delivery devices, mothers can suffer harm as well. They can experience incontinence and pain from damage to their pelvic floor.

Did you know

Mothers can also experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a doctor’s medical negligence during childbirth.

Lastly, when a health care provider’s medical negligence is severe, it can result in the death of the baby, the mother, or both.

How Can Birth Injuries Be Prevented?

Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals can prevent many birth injuries by carefully monitoring the mother and child and taking quick action when necessary. This includes during pregnancy and childbirth and soon after delivery.

Here are some ways medical professionals can prevent birth injuries:

Administer adequate prenatal care: Doctors can detect and treat infections and other health problems that can lead to birth injuries during regular prenatal checkups.
Detect and respond to fetal distress: Doctors diagnose fetal distress by checking the baby’s heart rate during pregnancy and labor. During labor, the doctor can give the mother oxygen, IV fluids, or medication to help lessen fetal distress. However, if the infant is in trouble, they may need to deliver the baby using forceps or a vacuum extractor or perform an emergency C-section.
Follow the accepted standard of care: Obstetricians and other medical professionals are expected to provide a certain quality of care when treating patients.
Provide proper treatment to infants in neonatal care: Sometimes, premature babies or infants with health issues receive care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Because these babies are so vulnerable, one medical mistake can cause them to suffer lifelong health complications.
React quickly in an emergency: Medical professionals are trained to provide care in emergencies. The results can be catastrophic when a doctor is slow to react or provides inadequate emergency care.

Treatment of Birth Injuries Caused by Medical Mistakes

While many birth injuries heal on their own, more serious ones require medical treatment.

Depending on the specific injury, one or more of these birth injury treatments may be necessary:

Assistive devices
Braces and other orthotic equipment
Medication
Occupational therapy
Physical therapy
Recreational therapy
Speech therapy
Surgery

Children with cerebral palsy and other birth injuries sometimes use alternative medicine, such as acupuncture or massage therapy, to help manage symptoms. If you are considering an alternative treatment for your child, check with your doctor about any risks.

Financial Support for Birth Injuries Caused by Medical Errors

When a child is diagnosed with a birth injury, parents often worry about how they will pay for their child’s medical expenses and treatments. Fortunately, there is birth injury financial support for families facing these costs.

These state and federal assistance programs may provide some relief:

Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Grants for children with special needs
Medicaid/Medicare
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Your health care provider can point you in the direction of other programs in your area that may ease your financial burden. Hospital social workers are another helpful resource.

Birth Injury Compensation

When a preventable medical mistake causes a child’s birth injury, a birth injury law firm can help parents seek financial assistance to help pay for their child’s care. Compensation from a birth injury lawsuit can help pay for doctor’s visits, medications, therapies, assistive equipment, and more.

Law firms specializing in birth injury cases are best positioned to maximize payouts for clients.

They have the experience and resources to get families financial compensation through a birth injury settlement or verdict.

It is not unusual for birth injury settlements to hit a million dollars or more because of the lifetime cost of raising a child with special needs.

Additionally, these firms have caring and compassionate legal professionals who can provide your family with the emotional support you need during this difficult time.

If you suspect your child’s birth injury resulted from a medical professional’s negligent care, get a free consultation to learn about your legal options.

Birth Injury Support Groups

When a child is injured at birth the entire family is affected. As a result, parents and other caregivers may feel overwhelmed and isolated. This is especially true when one parent is raising a child with a birth injury on their own or when parents lack support from their extended family.

The good news is that you are not alone. There are birth injury support groups that can help parents cope. In addition to providing community, these group members have firsthand experience raising a child with special needs.

These group members can relate to the anger and frustration that parents often feel when a medical professional’s negligence has caused a birth injury.

Some birth injury support groups for parents and other caregivers include:

You can also search Facebook and other social media sites for groups that can provide you and your family with the support you need.

If you need help finding the right resources to manage your child’s birth injury, get in touch with our team today at (800) 914-1562.

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