Using forceps or a vacuum medical device to facilitate in the vaginal delivery of babies is leading to an increased number of birth injuries among infants, a new Canadian study shows. According to a CTV.com news report, the study, which was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal looked at nearly two million single-child hospital births in four provinces between April 2004 and March 2015. The data shows that while the number of vaginal deliveries where vacuum extractors or forceps are used are declining, the risk of injuries from such procedures is increasing.
Numbers Cause Concern
The rate of birth trauma while using these types of assistive tools increased from 16.6 percent in 2004 to 19.4 percent in 2014 for first-time mothers, the study showed. In Canada, operative vaginal deliveries declined from 16.8 percent in 1995 to 13.2 percent to 2014 while Cesarean sections (C-sections) increased from 17.6 percent to 27.3 percent during the same time period.
Researchers say the increase in injuries from use of forceps and vacuums during delivery highlights the need to improve training and skills for doctors who perform them. They also say that doctors need to weigh the potential risks of vaginal deliveries on a case-by-case basis.
The injuries from forceps and vacuums range from minor cuts to serious tears and lacerations in the mother that affects her ability to control the bowels and bladder. In babies, it may range anywhere from bruising to brain damage depending on the force that is applied as the obstetrician attempts to get the baby out.
The Risks of Forceps Use
Forceps are used during delivery to assist the mother in birthing the child. This device looks like a pair of large spoons that are designed to hold the baby’s head and guide it through the birth canal. Forceps are used in cases where the baby is having difficulty coming out of the birth canal or when the baby’s shoulder gets stuck in the mother’s pelvic bone – a condition known as shoulder dystocia. Forceps are favored by obstetricians in a number of circumstances such as when:
• Labor is stalled in spite of the mom’s efforts to push.
• The child’s heartbeat or vitals suggest that there are problems.
• The mother’s health is jeopardized.
• The mother has other health complications that affect her ability to deliver naturally.
• The baby is in breech position (feet first instead of head first).
Some common injuries caused by improper or incompetent forceps use include, but are not limited to, facial injuries, eye injuries, bruising, facial palsy, skull fractures, bleeding in the brain, seizures, etc.
Generally speaking, when there are complications and the baby or mother’s health is compromised, the best option might be an emergency C-section. It is important that you discuss these options with your healthcare provider to determine the best course of action for you. Forceps do not have to be part of a birthing plan.
If Your Child Has Been Injured
Birth injuries can be extremely traumatic and the consequences can be long lasting. A child that suffers cerebral palsy as a result of brain damage caused by forceps may experience permanent injuries and disabilities. The parents of a child who has been injured at birth may be able to seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, future income, loss of livelihood, cost of continuing treatment, rehabilitative therapy, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
If your child has suffered a birth injury as the result of medical negligence, 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 arm injury case (Erb’s palsy) that was reduced by the appeals court to $1,850,000 because the verdict was so large. This was the highest amount upheld by the appellate courts in an Erb’s palsy case 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 and medical malpractice 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.ctvnews.ca/health/injuries-to-moms-babies-during-forcep-deliveries-on-the-rise-study-1.3978387