Shoulder dystocia is positively one of the most horrific events the parents of a newborn can witness in a delivery room.
Shoulder dystocia is one type of dystocia, which is an obstructed labor that occurs when the head emerges, but the rest of the body is held back because of the shoulder. It is common for the shoulder to be stuck behind the pelvis bone.
Hospital physicians and staff are trained for this rare emergency. Although some babies are fine after having shoulder dystocia, other newborns can be severely injured if the emergency is not handled properly.
Can Shoulder Dystocia Harm My Baby?
A common injury for babies with this kind of obstructed labor is nerve damage. When the bundle of nerves in your baby’s shoulder are stretched too much, then it leads to a condition called brachial plexus.
Most babies will recover from brachial plexus eventually. However, some children will have lasting damage that could require day-to-day assistance.
Shoulder dystocia can also endanger your child by cutting off his or her oxygen supply, in what is called birth asphyxia. Since the shoulder can disrupt a birth, the hospital staff will have to work quickly, as they are trained to do, so that the baby can start breathing as soon as possible. Prolonged birth asphyxia can lead to brain damage, cerebral palsy or fetal death.
In some instances, the brain injuries or physical injuries suffered by the child is due to an ill-trained or negligent healthcare staff. When the hospital is at fault, medical malpractice cases can result.
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Farrell & Patel – Birth Injury Lawyers
