Breech Birth Injuries & Getting Legal Help
Among the potential problems that can result in birth injuries are breech birth injuries. Breech births are those in which a fetus is not in the correct position to emerge head first, but rather feet first or buttocks first. The types of birth injuries that can be sustained as a result may affect the child, the mother, or both.
In situations in which a baby is in breech position, doctors often attempt careful manual manipulation to move the baby into a head-first birth position. While this is effective in many cases, it carries its own set of risks, including potential umbilical cord issues that can result in injury or death.
When manual manipulation of a baby in breech position is unsuccessful or carries substantial risk, a C-section may be recommended. Yet while the goal in such cases is to reduce not only the risk of fetal distress, but also injury to both the mother and child, C-sections themselves sometimes result in birth injuries. C-section birth injuries can include fetal lacerations, which in turn can result in cervical cord injuries, Erb’s Palsy, and other devastating effects, as well as infections, blood clots, hemorrhages, and in some cases, death. 1,2
Further, delaying C-sections not only carries the risk of causing permanent mental and physical disabilities in newborn babies, but also of affecting the health and well-being of the mother. Oxygen deprivation a result of a C-section delay can result in brain damage, autism, and/or cerebral palsy in infants, 1 not to mention the mental and physical effects on mothers.
C-section and breech birth injuries are devastating and costly. Additional medical care, physical therapy, mental health care, and specialty medical services and supplies for the child, the mother, or both—in addition to other related expenses—can add to the devastation.
Keeping an accurate detailed log of birth-related events associated with a birth injury can be a useful tool in detecting the extent of liability, if any, on behalf of doctors, nurses, other medical staff, and/or a hospital in a birth-injury case.
If you or a loved one has been affected by a Breech Presentation or other breech birth Injuries, meeting with an experienced Florida birth injury negligence lawyer for an initial consultation is an important step. Research information about lawyers who specialize in birth injury negligence and malpractice, or if possible, who specialize in the particular type of birth injury medical malpractice or medical negligence you or your loved one has experienced.
Many lawyers and legal teams offer free initial consultations. At Mallard & Sharp, P.A., we specialize in Miami Florida Breech Birth and C-Section Injury claims. To schedule a free initial consultation with our expert legal team call 877.662.5527 or 305.461.4800.
1 https://www.birthinjuryguide.org/birth-injury/types/c-section-injuries/
2 Smith, G. C., Cordeaux, Y., White, I. R., Pasupathy, D., Missfelder-Lobos, H., Pell, J. P., Charnock-Jones, D. S., & Fleming, M. (2008). The effect of delaying childbirth on primary cesarean section rates. PLoS medicine, 5(7), e144. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0050144