Things you need to know
-During birth, many newborns sustain minor injuries.
-Nerves and bones are usually not harmed or fractured.
-The majority of injuries heal on their own but doctors supervision is required.
Birth injury
Keeping the baby with the utmost care possible, a mother prays day and night for her baby in good health. In this nine month period, there are uncountable negative and positive thoughts that go about in a mothers mind. Therefore, the time just before, during and after delivery is very critical for the new borns.
And birth injuries turn that exciting and happy time into a stressful and chaotic period full of sadness and confusion about what would be the next step of treatment with respect to the injury caused.
Causes of birth injuries
Sometimes there are situations that are beyond your control and birth injury is one such situation in which all depend on certain circumstances during the delivery.
Common risk factors that may cause birth injury:-
- Abrupt position of the baby in the womb
- Large size and more than usual weight of the baby
- Errors resulting in premature delivery
- Abnormal fetal presentation
- Prolonged labour
- Maternal obesity
- Maternal pelvic anomalies
- Misdiagnosis of pregnancy conditions
- Applied excessive force while delivering the baby
- Exposure to bacteria leading to infections
Types of birth injuries
Brachial Plexus Injuries
It’s a nerve injury that affects the neck, shoulder, arm, and hands.
Facial Paralysis
During delivery, incorrect use of forceps or vacuum is frequently the cause of paralysis. It may cause harm that is either transient or permanent.
Perinatal Asphyxia
Due to a shortage of oxygen, this condition can result in laboured breathing, coma, seizures, shock, and long-term brain damage.
Spinal cord injuries
Can be quite severe, resulting in paralysis and neurological difficulties for the rest of one’s life.
Cerebral Palsy
Muscle weakness, spasms, and a lack of motor skill development are all symptoms of cerebral palsy.
Clavicle fractures
A clavicle fracture happens when the collar bone breaks as a result of a difficult delivery or birth trauma.
Prevention of birth injuries
Though birth injuries cannot be avoided, but there could be possible ways in which the risk could be reduced:-
- As per the doctors’ suggestion, do exercises that are safe during pregnancy
- Perform pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles
- Do fetal monitoring to find any health risks
- Provide comprehensive antenatal care
Forced trauma can affect the baby in the womb. Even a minor injury can disturb the growth and development of the baby.
If the damage is mild it can be managed with little or no treatment but in severe cases, immediate medical assistance is required.
Birth injuries are usually due to natural occurrences or in rare cases due to negligence.
