Labor and Delivery Complications and Errors

Birth asphyxia, or oxygen deprivation around the time of birth, is a common cause of infant brain damage. If a baby does not have enough oxygen in their blood, or if blood flow to the brain is restricted, they may be born with a serious birth injury called hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). HIE can cause permanent brain damage, cerebral palsy (CP), seizure disorders, and/or intellectual or developmental disabilities. Read more.

In high-risk situations, delivery must take place immediately to prevent harm to mother and baby. These circumstances call for an emergency C-section, which must take place in 30 minutes or less. In some cases, an emergency C-section should take place within 10-18 minutes in order to protect the baby from irreversible damage. If an emergency C-section takes too long to perform or if doctors prolong labor for longer than what is reasonable, a baby can suffer a brain injury from not getting enough oxygen. Read more.

Doctors may use forceps or vacuum extractors to help guide the baby down the birth canal during a strained or stalled vaginal birth. This procedure is called an assisted delivery. However, there are very strict standards for when and how to use these instruments. Improper use can injure the baby, and put them at high risk for brain bleeds. Read more.

Fetal heart monitoring is the best way for medical professionals to tell if a baby is getting enough oxygen. If the baby’s heart rate is too high (tachycardia), too low (bradycardia), or otherwise abnormal, this is a sign of fetal distress and must be immediately addressed. If medical professionals fail to use or use monitors incorrectly, misinterpret monitor readings, or fail to intervene when necessary, the consequences to the baby could be serious. Read more.

Some of the most commonly-administered medications during childbirth, such as Cytotec and Pitocin, are associated with significant complications for both the mother and baby. It is critical that medical professionals carefully explain the potential risks and benefits and obtain the mother’s informed consent. Read more.

Under normal circumstances, the placenta is attached to the uterine wall, providing the baby with nutrients and oxygen, as well as removing fetal waste products. It is usually expelled naturally after the baby is delivered as part of the afterbirth. Placental abruption happens when the placenta separates prematurely from the uterine wall. This can cause dangerous maternal and fetal hemorrhaging, as well as oxygen deprivation to the baby and consequent fetal injury or death. Read more.

Placenta previa is a condition in which the placenta lies unusually low in the uterus, where it partially or completely covers the mother’s cervix and may block the baby’s passage out of the womb. When diagnosed early in pregnancy, placenta previa may not be a serious problem and resolve on its own. However, placenta previa in the third trimester can lead to life-threatening hemorrhagic bleeding in the mother and birth injuries such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in the baby where delivery does not occur by C-section in time. Read more.

Traumatic birth injury (birth trauma) is a subset of birth injury caused by physical pressure during labor and delivery that specifically impacts the baby’s brain. Birth trauma is often caused by mechanical force, but it can also be caused by the overuse of delivery drugs, mismanaged abnormal presentation, and other complications. It may also occur with or complicate hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Read more.

The umbilical cord connects the mother to her unborn baby and provides the baby with oxygen and nutrients, as well as waste removal. Complications involving the umbilical cord may lead to birth asphyxia, which in turn can lead to serious birth injuries such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) or cerebral palsy (CP). Umbilical cord issues can include: compression, nuchal cord, true knot, prolapse, short cord, vasa previa, or intrauterine infections or chorioamnionitis. Read more.

Uterine rupture occurs when there is a tear in the uterus resulting from pressure during pregnancy, labor, or delivery, The uterus can rupture through some or all of its layers, compromising the fetus’ oxygen supply and causing severe bleeding in the mother. Uterine rupture often causes the baby to move into the mother’s abdomen. Read more.