Birth injuries have become so common that about 10 out of every 1000 births have some injury. Common birth injuries include bruising, head swelling, facial paralysis, brachial palsy fractured bones and brain injuries. Most of these birth injuries are caused by medical malpractice and negligence. Birth injuries may not be apparent immediately after birth. To read more click here “birth injury”
Between 2000 and 2006, birth injuries have dropped by 30%. Despite the decline, doctors feel that there are still a lot of birth injuries that still can be prevented. It is estimated that approximately 158,000 preventable birth injuries still take place. To read the entire article click here “birth injuries”
A $3.35 million Euro (About $4.65 Million in US currency) settlement was reached because of a birth injury that took place. The Hospital in this case failed to get proper information including information relating to the baby’s fetal heart rate and the doctor carried out a Caesarean section too late causing the birth injury. The birth injury caused asphyxiation at birth, motor dysfunction and mild cerebral palsy. To read the entire article click here “Birth Injuries”
The family of a brain damaged boy was awarded $12 Million dollars for a birth injury the child suffered. The case took place in Illinois and was against St. Anthony Medical Center. The child suffers from spastic quadriparesis because of the brain injury. The birth injury was a result of a failure to recognize that the child was positioned for a breech delivery; and as a result the child did not receive sufficient oxygen which caused the brain injury. The Hospital did not perform a proper vaginal exam, placed a fetal scalp electrode in the wrong spot and this led to the placenta rupturing during labor and a result the child suffered a birth injury. To read the entire article click here on “birth injury”
Before birth, a baby’s lungs are filled with fluid and very little oxygen flows through them. Instead, it receives oxygen through the placenta and umbilical cord. When an infant is born, a burst of oxygen-rich blood is delivered to him or her by a pulsation of the placenta and umbilical cord until its lungs are working and supplying oxygen on their own. This surge of blood is necessary in order for the newborn’s lungs to adequately expand and supply the brain with the oxygen it needs. Without it, the baby’s lungs fail to function adequately causing his or her blood pressure to drop. This in turn can lead to oxygen deprivation and result in lung and brain damage.
In as little as 5 minutes after birth, the umbilical cord naturally begins to clamp, halting this blood flow. The common practice of hospitals, however, is to immediately place a clamp on the cord, usually within 1 minute, and often within 30 seconds, following the baby’s birth. This deprives the baby of a continuous source of oxygen until the lungs begin functioning properly. In addition to injuring the baby’s lungs, this lack of oxygen can cause serious brain damage, leading to birth injuries such as cerebral palsy, autism, learning disorders and mental deficiency.
Click here for a information about a study into the dangers of premature cord clamping and for more information about umbilical cord clamping birth injuries.
A lawsuit was filed in St. Clair County, IL on behalf of a baby that died due to birth injuries. The child’s grandmother filed the birth injury lawsuit against the doctor that delivered him and the hospital where he was born. The lawsuit alleges that the doctor failed to perform a cesarean or treat the baby during delivery. The baby suffered neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy during delivery and died several months later from his birth injury. Read full coverage of this Illinois medical malpractice case.
A doctor recently unveiled medical software that may predict the probability of shoulder dystocia during birth. Shoulder dystocia is one of the most common complications during delivery and 20% of cases result in birth injury. Although some doctors believe that shoulder dystocia is both “unpredictable and unpreventable,” users of the new software hope to calculate the risk of this birth injury through algorithms based on data from the mother and baby. Read more about this new software that may predict shoulder dystocia in newborns.
The FDA announced yesterday that it will require new warnings for Botox and all other Botulinum Toxin products. Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium Clostriduam botulinum. It is the most toxic protein known to scientists and one of the most lethal substances to occur in nature. Although not approved for such use, it is often prescribed to children with cerebral palsy, who are injected with the drug in an effort to control limb spasticity that is associated with the disorder. The drug works by paralyzing the muscles, which restricts unwanted movement. After injection, however, the toxin can migrate to other areas of the body, including those muscles used to breathe, causing potentially deadly paralysis. The FDA stated that this adverse affect has occurred most frequently in children with cerebral palsy and that several children with the birth injury have died as a result of the treatment.
The new label requirement includes a black box warning, a type of warning that is reserved for drugs with significant risks of serious or life-threatening adverse affects.
For more information on the FDA’s Botox warning, click here.
Illinois birth injury victims may get access to treatment that was previously unavailable to them thanks to new legislation recently signed by Governor Pat Quinn. Children with cerebral palsy and other developmental disorders such as Down syndrome and autism will soon be able to get treatment thanks to a new law that requires insurance companies to pay for speech, physical and occupational therapies. Specifically, the law requires insurers to extend coverage to “habilitative treatments,” which are those intended to teach new skills and maximize functioning. The law takes effect January 1, 2010.
For more information on how this new law will help children with cerebral palsy, click here.
A computer program is shaping up to be the new hero in the prevention of shoulder dystocia and brachial plexus injuries. A new software program, called CALM Shoulder Screen, has been developed that calculates the risk of shoulder dystocia with permanent injury. The program analyzes several factors, including the mothers’ height and weight and determines whether they are at risk of suffering shoulder dystocia during delivery. Those ascertained to be at high risk can avoid the birth injury by opting for delivery by c-section. Obstetricians throughout the country have began utilizing this web-based system and it has been proven effective to be effective. The program can be used anytime after the 37th week of gestation.
For more information about this birth injury prevention software, click here.
A day-care provider charged with reckless homicide following the death of a 4-month-old boy under her care is currently on trial in Wisconsin. The defendant’s medical expert testified earlier this week, however, that the doctors who delivered the baby – not the defendant – were responsible for his death. The expert testified that he believes the baby suffered a subdural hematoma resulting from birth trauma during his delivery by c-section and that a rebleed of this pre-existing injury caused his death. To support his theory that the baby died of a birth injury, the expert pointed to several pieces of evidence, including an irregularity in the growth of the infant’s skull and the lack of evidence showing major external impact. According to his testimony, this type of brain injury is characteristic of birth trauma and its symptoms, if any, are very subtle, including irritability, lethargy and vomiting.
Click here for more information about the testimony relating to the possible birth trauma as cause of death.
A new study published in this month’s issue of the medical journal Acta Pædiatrica suggests that babies conceived during the Spring and Summer may have a greater risk of developing birth defects, including spina bifida, cleft lip, clubfoot and Down's syndrome. The study looked at over 30 million births and found that the children of women whose last menstrual period occurred in April, May, June or July had an increased number of birth defects.
According to the first author of the study, Paul Winchester, M.D., “elevated concentrations of pesticides and other agrochemicals in surface water during April through July coincided with significantly higher risk of birth defects in live births conceived by women whose last menstrual period began in the same months. While our study didn't prove a cause and effect link, the fact that birth defects and pesticides in surface water peak during the same four months makes us suspect that the two are related."
Click here for more about this birth defect study.
