Vacuum extractors and forceps are both tools that can be used to assist with a vaginal birth. In developed countries, vacuum extractors have become much more commonly used than forceps, and in certain situations are the safer choice. However, this tool also involves serious risks. For example, some studies have found an association between the…
According to a 2006 study by obstetricians and gynecologists Gary D. Hankins, MD, Shannon M. Clark, MD and Mary B. Munn, MD, planned elective cesarean sections can significantly reduce the risk of birth injuries. The doctors studied over 2,100 articles from the national library of medicine. They searched for the following terms: fetal trauma, shoulder dystocia,…
A Michigan family was awarded millions of dollars in damages when their daughter sustained permanent injuries due to improper techniques used by physicians when the baby’s shoulder got stuck on the mother’s pelvis during delivery.
When a doctor fails to inform a patient that she has risk factors for a birth injury such as Erb’s palsy, it is a violation of the standard of care. Further, the baby may suffer permanent and serious disabilities.
