Birth injuries are a significant cause of concern among new parents. The sudden rise in congenital disabilities in the past few decades, despite the significant advancements in the field of pregnancy and labor, indeed puts young moms-to-be at the edge. Birth injuries are often irreversible and may even prove useless against physical ailments. Thus, the best thing to do is prevent every possibility of childbirth injuries.
Many factors affect the delivery process. Sometimes, it’s the negligence of the medical staff that results in birth injuries. At other times, the mothers aren’t healthy enough or don’t take proper care, and in turn, witness their baby’s birth with physical or mental damage. Let’s go through some common causes that may lead to birth injuries.
1. Prolonged Labor
Prolonged labor or the delay in a child’s birth is also a possible cause of injury. It often leads to brain hemorrhage, sepsis, cerebral palsy, seizures, and oxygen deprivation. The complications that follow are not only life-long but can also be costly for new parents. Legal action is valid if the healthcare facility prolongs the labor because of mismanagement. The Birth Injury Justice Center experts offer helpful advice to deal with these matters legally.
2. Premature Birth
If the baby is delivered before 37 weeks, there’s a high risk of premature birth injuries. But research shows that babies born before 39 weeks of gestation mostly die because of preterm issues. Many little angels are not fully developed before the mentioned period, and as a result, cannot cope well after birth. They still have immature organs and fail to function on their own. Additionally, preterm delivery makes them prone to infections, high bilirubin levels, jaundice, and breathing difficulties. These conditions could be deadly at times. Doctors should devise a lifestyle for mothers to prevent premature births.
3. Medical Negligence
Sometimes the hospital or healthcare staff members are not professionals and can cause birth injuries because of malpractice. It’s criminal, and new parents can hold doctors or nurses responsible. Also, parents should always find an ob-gyn and healthcare facility with raving reviews to ensure no birth complications because of staff’s irresponsibilities.
4. Abnormal Baby Position
Various factors contribute to abnormal baby position before the time of birth. It’s also a significant cause of concern for pregnant moms who struggle with on-time and stress-free deliveries. Typically, the baby’s head should be turned toward the vagina to come out head-first. If it’s not so, the incorrect position can result in birth injuries at the time of labor when midwives or nurses have to pull out the little one through any means and might cause broken bones or fractured spine. The birth position might be improper because of limited amniotic fluid or uterine tumors.
5. Heavy Birth Weight
If the baby is too heavy or has abnormally high birth weight, it can also result in congenital disabilities. The condition is known as fetal macrosomia when the baby weighs more than 8 pounds or 13 ounces. While genes play a part, high birth weight can also be caused by a pregnant mother’s lifestyle and diet. Such babies are born with heart issues.
6. Nerve Injury
At times, midwives and nurses mishandle the birth of a baby during delivery and damage the brachial plexus nerves. Too much force damages the nerves between the neck and shoulders, leading to Erb’s paralysis. The nerve stretch has awful effects on the child’s physical growth and sometimes even causes long-term spinal injuries.
7. Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy condition that damages the placenta carrying blood to the fetus. It’s a scary disease and often results in the death of both mothers and babies. Although, if appropriately treated on time, the disasters can be mitigated.
8. Pregnancy Infections
Various pregnancy infections such as urinary infections, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), Strep B, and bacterial vaginosis are all culprits of newborns with birth injuries. These infections might trigger premature birth, meningitis, or brain injuries and, as a result, cause congenital disabilities that last a lifetime.
9. Lack of Oxygen
Lack of oxygen could occur at any point in babies and make them prone to serious childbirth injuries. Research shows that high oxygen deprivation isn’t the only cause of birth injuries. Even a tiny amount of low oxygen supply to a baby’s organs can result in developmental problems.
10. Nutritional Deficiencies
Moms-to-be who aren’t careful about their diet can experience severe nutritional deficiencies resulting in birth complications. Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most common causes of birth injuries in pregnancy. Folate deficiency often leads to spine issues. Some women with low vitamin B12 might also experience their baby’s developmental problems. If moms have low vitamin D, their babies would have improper bone growth and fracture prone. Decreased calcium levels are also associated with skeletal problems.
Final Thoughts
Many of these possible causes of childbirth injuries can be prevented if healthcare professionals properly monitor moms-to-be throughout their critical months of pregnancy. It’s also necessary to advise new parents on the best lifestyle choices and the ideal nutritional plan to avoid serious birth injuries. Moreover, parents should take their time to select the best healthcare facility to ensure a smooth and hassle-free delivery without risking medical malpractice.
