Is Cerebral Palsy Caused by Trauma During Delivery

• Cerebral Palsy
• Is Cerebral Palsy Caused by Trauma During Delivery?

Can Trauma During Delivery Cause Cerebral Palsy?

Yes, trauma during delivery can cause cerebral palsy in some babies. Abnormal fetal presentation (such as breech baby), cephalopelvic disproportion (baby’s head size is mismatched with the maternal pelvis), macrosomia (baby is larger than average), and prolonged or arrested labor are some of the conditions that can result in trauma during delivery.

The risk of trauma during delivery is particularly increased when using labor inducing drugs or devices such as forceps and vacuum extractors to assist in vaginal (“natural”) delivery when the above conditions occur. Improper use of these devices or medications may lead to birth trauma, causing a brain injury that may result in cerebral palsy.

Birth Trauma from Pitocin Misuse during Labor Induction

Pitocin (generic name: oxytocin) is a commonly used drug to start or increase contractions when the labor is prolonged or arrested. Another similar drug is Cytotec (generic name: prostaglandin), which is used to aid labor induction and progression. If these drugs are used in incorrect dosage or when their use is ill-advised, it can pose the risk of birth injury to the baby.

Drug misuse may cause frequent and excessively strong contractions or hyperstimulation. Prolonged periods of forcing and pushing in this situation may result in too much pressure applied to the baby’s head or body, resulting in a traumatic birth injury. Additional risks include uterine rupture and umbilical cord compression, which can also cause oxygen deprivation and brain damage to the baby, leading to cerebral palsy.

About Medically Induced Labor

Birth Trauma from Mismanaged Assisted Vaginal Delivery

When a baby has a difficult time exiting the birth canal in natural or vaginal delivery, physicians may decide to use vacuum extraction and forceps to assist at the end of the delivery. These devices must be positioned with care and precision on the baby’s head and too much or too prolonged force (called “traction”) must not be used to pull out the baby. Misuse of forceps can injure the baby’s skull or spinal cord, leading to hemorrhages or brain bleeds.

Similarly, during vacuum extraction, applying excessive pressure through the suction cup can cause lacerations, brachial plexus injury, or brain bleeds. Birth trauma resulting from a mismanaged assisted vaginal delivery can lead to seizures, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and eventually cerebral palsy.

About Birth Trauma

Birth Trauma from Mismanaged Vaginal Delivery in case of Abnormal Presentation

Breech Presentation

When the baby’s legs or buttocks are positioned to enter the birth canal first, it is called breech presentation. A mismanaged vaginal delivery for a breech baby increases the risk of spinal cord damage and brain bleeds as well as HIE and cerebral palsy. A cesarean section is usually the safest delivery method for all types of breech positions to avoid birth trauma.

Shoulder Presentation

Transverse lie or shoulder presentation occurs when the baby’s trunk, arm or shoulder are positioned to enter the birth canal first. Mismanaged vaginal delivery in these cases may lead to head injury, brain leads or umbilical cord compression, increasing the risk of HIE and cerebral palsy. Cesarean section is usually the safest delivery method in shoulder presentation to avoid birth trauma.

Face Presentation

When the baby’s face is the first presenting body part, the position is known as a face presentation. Similarly, when the baby’s forehead or brow is the first presenting part, it’s called brow presentation. Mismanaged vaginal delivery in these cases may cause head or neck swelling, spinal cord injury, skull molding, facial trauma, or brain bleeds. Cesarean section is usually the safest delivery method in face presentation to avoid birth trauma.

Is Your Child’s Birth Injury the Result of Medical Malpractice?

Parents whose children suffer birth injuries want and deserve answers as to whether mistakes by the doctors and nurses contributed to the injury. At Miller Weisbrod Olesky, our award-winning birth injury attorneys have represented families all over the United States in their time of need after a birth injury. We use our skills and expertise to obtain for you and your child a medical malpractice settlement that will help provide specialized medical therapy in order to maximize the quality of life and independence of your child throughout their life.

• Were there signs of birth injury or birth complications during the pregnancy, labor, and delivery process, or presence of risk factors, which were either not recognized or properly treated?
• During the labor and delivery, were there clear indications that the baby was suffering from fetal distress, but appropriate actions were not taken by the maternal fetal specialists, obstetrician or nurses?
• Was there a delay in diagnosis of a likely premature birth that led to later complications, including brain injury?
• Did the medical team fail to order a series of tests to diagnose this birth complication in a timely manner?
• Was the decision to perform a cesarean delivery delayed leading to birth trauma during vaginal delivery or labor?
• Did the neonatal resuscitation team fail to quickly begin important breathing support?
• Should brain cooling (also called “hypothermia therapy”) have been provided to your baby, but the doctors and nurses failed to perform the appropriate tests or ignored the results of the tests?

Our birth injury attorneys have recovered millions of dollars in settlements for families of children that have suffered a birth injury. At no point in our legal intake process will we ask you to pay anything. The medical review of your case and the consultation are free. We only receive payment when you do, no matter how long or tough your case is.

Registered Nurses and Nurse-Attorneys Are a Vital Part of Our Birth Injury Team…and Yours

Most birth injury law firms will employ one or two nurses to assist the review of cases and medical research. But Miller Weisbrod Olesky offers an unmatched number of nurses and nurse-attorney employees support to both the birth injury attorneys and our clients.

Our team of registered nursing staff and nurse-attorneys bring a deep level of medical and personal insight to every client’s case. Our nursing team includes both an experienced labor and delivery nurse as well as an ICU nurse. Working closely with the rest of the team, they investigate the reasons behind a birth injury and how medical professionals breached their standard of care.