Types of Birth Injuries: From Cerebral Palsy to Neonatal Stroke

Sadly, not all babies are born in good health, and sometimes, no one is to blame. Far too often, however, a physician or other medical professional doesn’t pay attention, fails to monitor the mother or child properly, takes a shortcut, makes a poor choice, or makes another error that results in a mishap during the birthing process. When this happens, based on the circumstances, the infant could experience birth injuries ranging from fairly mild to serious. Birth injuries can cause disabilities or disfigurements that a child will have to live with for the rest of their life. It is crucial to understand what causes birth injuries and what legal action you can take if this happens to you. 

What is a Birth Injury?

A birth injury is any injury caused by trauma either before, immediately after, or during the birthing process. Some injuries are more serious than others and some can be life-threatening. On the other hand, there are also birth injuries that are mild and require little to no care. In some instances, birth injuries mend on their own, and the child lives a life with no related issues. Given their long-term impacts, however, serious birth injuries, often require ongoing medical treatment for the duration of the child’s life.  It is essential to recognize that birth injuries are not the same as birth defects. Birth injuries are not the result of a genetic predisposition but rather, the result of medical negligence.

Birth Injuries Associated With a Lack of Oxygen

There are numerous types of birth injuries a newborn can experience during labor, birth, or immediately after. In the majority of cases, these injuries directly affect the baby’s brain due to the deprivation of oxygen. The most common types of birth injuries associated with a lack of oxygen include: 

• Anoxia: Anoxia is a brain injury stemming from a severe hypoxia. It is often caused by strangulation, which can occur when the umbilical cord wraps around the newborn’s throat.
• Hypoxia: Hypoxia takes place when the infant does not receive an adequate supply of oxygen. 
• Birth asphyxia: This birth injury is caused by an insufficient flow of oxygen to the newborn’s brain during the birthing process.
• Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: Hypoxic, meaning lack of oxygen, ischemic, meaning a lack of blood supply, and encephalopathy, meaning brain dysfunction, is a medical condition that arises due to a sudden or chronic loss of oxygen and blood supply to the brain. A hypoxic event can have a serious effect on the baby during labor or delivery. Fetal monitoring is a method commonly used to identify when a fetus is not receiving adequate blood flow and oxygen. HIE could lead to other conditions, such as cerebral palsy. Due to this, thorough monitoring of the fetus is paramount to his or her health. If the symptoms of hypoxia are not properly and promptly recognized and treated, the baby could experience brain damage.
• Cerebral Palsy: Cerebral palsy is a condition that affects posture and body movement. It is the result of damage to the brain that occurs either during, before, or directly after childbirth. Cerebral Palsy can be the result of either environmental or genetic factors, as well as premature births. However, since a lack of oxygen to the brain during the birthing process is a well-documented cause of cerebral palsy, it is vital for the birth team to recognize the warning signs on the fetal monitor and intervene. The timing and type of the brain injury will ultimately determine the degree of cerebral palsy. Some babies are affected quite mildly, whereas others will be completely incapable of moving and need help to simply eat and breathe.  
• Periventricular Leukomalacia: PVL is a birth injury involving the brain’s white matter, which sends information from the brain to the muscles. PVL is most often seen in premies since their brains are less fully developed which makes them more susceptible to injuries. PVL may lead to developmental delays, seizures, hearing or vision problems, and cerebral palsy. 
• Neonatal Stroke: Neonatal strokes can happen if the blood flow to a newborn brain is blocked or interrupted in the first 28 days of life. If a stroke occurs in the first week, it is known as a perinatal stroke. A neonatal stroke causes the brain to be deprived of oxygen and blocks the blood vessels. The occurrence rate for neonatal strokes is recorded as 1 in 4,000, but experts surmise that this estimate is most likely low due to how difficult these events are to detect.  

Birth Injuries Involving Damage to the Head, Tissues, or Organs 

Birth injuries can also take place when a baby’s head, tissues, or organs are damaged, usually the result of trauma or excessive pressure during childbirth. Examples of these types of birth injuries include:

• Brachial palsy: This medical condition affects the newborn’s shoulder. The nerve endings in the shoulder and arm can be damaged during the birthing process if the baby’s shoulder becomes stuck during delivery. This injury is also known as shoulder dystocia. This can leave the child unable to rotate or flex their arm. If the injury is minor, a normal range of motion can be regained in a few months. If the injury is severe, however, it could be permanent.
• Bruising: Bruising can occur on the baby’s face or head when forceps are used during the birth. Bruise injuries can either be permanent or temporary. A baby might also develop a bruise or laceration on their head if a vacuum extraction was part of the delivery. 
• Caput succedaneum: Caput succedaneum happens when the soft tissues on the scalp become swollen during birth. In some instances, the inflammation will go down after a couple of days. This birth injury is usually temporary and is the result of vacuum extraction.
• Cephalohematoma: This condition can present if bleeding occurs underneath the bones in the infant’s head. The condition could heal on its own in several weeks or months, but it can cause some newborns to develop jaundice.
• Facial paralysis: If excess pressure is placed on the infant’s face during birth, it can injure a nerve, leading to facial paralysis. This injury tends to happen when forceps are used. The paralysis could resolve itself after a couple of weeks if the nerve is merely bruised. If the nerve is torn, however, surgery may be necessary.  
• Subconjunctival hemorrhage: Babies most often experience this type of injury during difficult deliveries. Subconjunctival hemorrhage involves the deterioration of the tiny blood vessels in the eyes. One of the symptoms is the whites of the eyes turning red. This condition is almost always temporary and does not cause any damage to the eye.   

Long-Term Effects of Birth Injuries

A birth injury can, in some cases, lead to long-term or permanent effects on the newborn. For instance, if a serious case of brain injury is sustained during labor or delivery, the baby could have cognitive and developmental disabilities that will be with them throughout their lifetime. Special medical care and equipment might also be needed, leaving the unsuspecting parents with costly medical and care expenses for many years to come.If your child sustained a birth injury and you are considering filing a claim, consult with a Dallas birth injury lawyer from Rasansky Law Firm. We offer a free initial consultation and can advise you on how to best proceed with your birth injury case.  Call (214) 651-6100 to schedule your today.