What are the types of birth injuries?

Posted in Birth Injuries, Firm News on January 3, 2017

You may not know, but birth injuries are actually quite common. In most babies, these injuries clear up on their own without any lasting harm. However, you may have experienced an issue during delivery in Washington that led to a severe and lasting injury to your child. According to Merck Manuals, the types of birth injuries that may occur include the following:

  • Bone injury
  • Head and brain injuries
  • Nerve injury
  • Skin and soft tissue injuries
  • Perinatal asphyxia

You may experience issues during birth due to the birth canal being too narrow, your baby being in an odd position during delivery or your baby being too large. There is also the potential for medical error to cause an injury.

If your baby experiences a bone injury, it is good to know that they are often minor. Typically, they are just small fractures in arms and legs that heal with no lasting issues. While your baby may be at risk of a skull fracture, they are not often severe in nature. You will likely see bruising or swelling of the scalp, arms, legs, face or other areas due to birth, but this is often minor and resolves with no other issues. Nerves may be compressed or damaged during delivery, but they are usually nothing to worry about because they often clear up on their own. However, you should be aware that more severe situations may require surgery. Spinal cord damage is very rare, but it can lead to paralysis.

More serious issues that you may want to be aware of include brain hemorrhages and asphyxia. If there is bleeding on the brain, this may lead to seizures, low blood oxygen and feeding or breathing issues in your baby. Perinatal asphyxia is when your baby gets too little oxygen in the blood or a reduced blood flow while still in your womb. It can be caused by different things that happen before birth, such as exposure to drugs, genetic issues, blood loss or a compromised umbilical cord. This is general information only and is not intended to provide legal advice.