Birth injuries and how they happen
Birth injuries are injuries that happen during labor and delivery, and they can occur because a condition or situation is not responded to adequately or quickly enough. They can also happen when equipment is used improperly. Babies in Ohio who suffer from birth injuries may recover quickly if the injury is minor, but they could also suffer lifelong impairment. Birth injuries may be fatal in some cases.
Brain and nerve damage
Brain injuries are a common types of birth injury. In some cases, this can happen because oxygen to the child is cut off. Oxygen deprivation may occur for several reasons, including when the umbilical cord is tangled around the infant's neck or when the infant is in the birth canal for too long. Brain injuries may also occur if a medical professional uses a tool such as forceps improperly. Pulling or stretching the child during delivery can also result in damage to the child's nerves or spinal cord. A specific kind of nerve damage, a brachial plexus injury, can affect a baby's arm or grip.
Other types of injuries
Babies may also suffer
fractures during birth. The baby might get stuck on the mother's pelvic bone or may be a breech birth. An uncommon type of birth injury is damage to the abdomen, which can be fatal and which is sometimes not diagnosed because of its rarity.
When
birth injuries occur as a result of medical negligence, parents might be able to pursue compensation. This compensation can help cover the costs of treatment related to the injury. After their child has suffered a birth injury, parents might want to consult an attorney to discuss the situation, whether it might constitute medical malpractice and how to best proceed.