• 18
  • January
    2012

Birth injuries in Pittsburgh and elsewhere happen with greater frequency than is usually imagined. Though some of these birth injuries can be relatively minor, many can be severe and have a lifelong impact upon the health of the newborn child.

Though there will always be a certain amount of birth injuries that will be unpreventable, too often medical negligence and malpractice will play a role. The negligence could have been the result of some action of the doctor, nurse, anesthesiologist or even paramedic.

Here are some common examples of birth injuries due to medical mistakes:

  • Fractured bones: often a fractured collar bone.
  • Facial paralysis: this may be due to the use of forceps during delivery that induced pressure upon the face of the newborn child.
  • Erb's palsy: this can come about when nerves controlling hand movement are damaged due to passage through the birth canal.
  • Cerebral palsy: often occurring because of the child being deprived of oxygen during the birthing process.

If a parent suspects birth injuries may have been due to malpractice by one of its medical providers, it's generally a good idea to follow up on such a matter as soon as possible. An immediate investigation may turn up evidence that may instead be lost over time.

The results of birth injuries can be devastating and few parents are truly prepared for the consequences. Follow-up care, surgeries to correct any abnormality, and providing for special services to meet the need of the child can be prohibitive on a normal family budget. Compensation would likely be required to provide the child with what he or she deserves.

Source: News4Jax.com, "How medical malpractice leads to birth injuries," by Ed Greenberger, Jan. 11, 2012