Prolonged labor, also commonly referred to as “failure to progress,” occurs when labor lasts for about 20 hours or more, if you are a first-time mother, and 14 hours or more if you have previously given birth. In addition to being exhausting and emotionally draining for the mother when labor is prolonged, it is a cause for concern especially if it occurs during the later or active phase of giving birth.
What Causes Prolonged Labor?
There are a number of reasons why prolonged labor may occur. In the initial phase, slow effacement of the cervix may cause labor time to increase. During the latter phase, delivery can take longer or fail to progress if the baby is too large, the birthing canal is too small or if the woman’s pelvis is too small. If the mother is carrying two or more babies, then that may lead to prolonged labor as well.
Other factors include weaker uterine contractions and improper positioning of the baby. There are also some pain medications that may slow or weaken contractions, prolonging labor. The most common cause, however, is when the woman has issues with contractions. When women do not develop contractions that are strong enough to push the baby out, the labor may become longer.
Complications from Prolonged Labor
Prolonged labor, particularly in the later stage, may result in serious complications for the baby including:
Lack of oxygen: When the baby is stuck in the birth canal and the mother is not having contractions big enough to push the baby out, the child is in grave danger of not receiving enough oxygen. This may result in a condition called hypoxia. Perinatal hypoxia may lead to a number of serious medical conditions such as Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), brain injuries and even irreversible brain damage. Other conditions associated with perinatal hypoxia include cerebral palsy, severe seizures, cognitive issues and behavioral disorders.
Use of birthing tools: When the baby doesn’t come out, an obstetrician may use birthing tools such as vacuum and forceps. While these are extraction tools that are meant to ease the baby out of the birth canal, when used improperly or incompetently, they may result in serious injuries to the baby including brain injuries.
Brachial plexus injury or Erb’s palsy: Another complication of prolonged labor is brachial plexus injuries or Erb’s palsy, which involves nerve damage in the infant’s shoulder or arm area. This may result in the child’s arm being paralyzed. Often, brachial plexus injuries occur during a long, difficult labor when the physician is pulling the infant in a rough or abnormal manner.
Prolonged Labor and C-Sections
A Cesarean section or C-section may be required to avoid prolonged labor in certain cases. Nearly one-third of C-sections are performed because the labor doesn’t progress. If your baby is positioned incorrectly or if his or her head is too large for the pelvis, a C-section may be the best choice to avoid further complications. It is also very common to see a C-section done in cases where a mother is having multiple babies. C-sections are often employed to prevent birth complications and as a way to avoid potential issues during labor and delivery. The decision a doctor makes in terms of performing a C-section may help prevent serious and disabling birth injuries. Failure to perform a C-section in many of these scenarios may be viewed as medical negligence.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If your child has suffered a birth injury or has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury as a result of medical negligence, you may be able to file a birth injury lawsuit seeking compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, loss of livelihood, hospital and rehabilitation costs, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
The experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. One of our clients secured a $2,850,000 verdict in an Erb’s palsy (Brachial palsy) case that was reduced by the appeals court to $1,846,000 because the verdict was so large. This was the highest amount upheld by the appellate courts for many, many years. In addition we recovered $1,400,000 for a newborn who lost motion in the arm during birth due to doctors applying incorrect force on the baby’s head.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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Source: https://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/prolonged-labor-causes-treatments#1