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Online Resource Center for Information on Birth Injuries.
Childbirth is one of the momentous events in life. Nothing is more significant than bringing a new life into the world. Unfortunately, human childbirth is longer, more difficult, and more uncertain than any other species on the planet. Every with modern medical techniques, over 800 women and twice as many babies still die each day during childbirth around the world. There are dozens of well-known obstetrical complications and other things than can and often do go wrong during labor and delivery. Most major birth injuries are caused by adverse events and complications arising in the delivery room.
A look at the top 5 most dangerous childbirth and pregnancy complications that pose serious threats to babies.
A life threatening condition in which the amniotic fluid enters the mother’s blood stream.
A controversial technique in which doctors apply pressure to the abdomen in order to move a baby that has become stuck.
If the placenta is not delivered in its entirety, it must be surgically removed in order to prevent complications.
Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) is typically fatal for twins, but may be treatable with new medical techniques.
A look at how women gave birth in the past, and how far we have come.
An emergency complication in which the baby’s shoulder gets stuck during vaginal delivery.
An extremely dangerous event where the wall of the uterus fully or partially tears open presenting an immediate threat to the baby.
When the umbilical cord drops down into the birth canal in front of the baby and gets dangerously compressed by the baby’s head.
An abnormal presentation of the baby prior to delivery in which the feet are positioned downward instead of the baby’s head.
Cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) is when a baby’s head is too large to fit through the mother’s pelvis, typically necessitating a cesarean delivery.
When obstetric forceps are used to facilitate a difficult vaginal delivery there is a very high risk of serious injury to the baby’s head and neck.
Excessive or improper use of a vacuum pump extractor during delivery is a common source of trauma and serious birth injuries.
Pitocin is a synthetic hormone widely used to induce and accelerate labor, but it can over-stimulate contractions that are dangerous to the baby.
Another drug used to induce labor that can lead to complications.
Many birth injuries are linked to failures to properly monitor fetal heart rate and respond to signs of fetal stress during delivery.
Epidurals are the most widely used form of pain relief during labor, but they slow down the delivery process and increase the risk of birth injury.
Dystonia is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions.
Episiotomies are a procedure done during vaginal delivery. They are only medically recommended in emergency situations.
When complications arise during labor and delivery, a prompt emergency C-Section can potentially avoid any harm to the baby.
C-Sections have evolved over 2000 years of human history into one of the most beneficial procedures in modern medicine.
Vaginal Delivery After C-Section (VBAC) is becoming increasingly popular despite inherent risks of uterine rupture.
Neonatal hazard which occurs when the baby inhales meconium (fetal poop) into their lungs prior to birth creating major health risks.
Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in a Newborn (PPHN) a rare but very serious circulatory conditions that can cause neonatal breathing difficulties.
Newborns who are not breathing on their own at birth require medical intervention in the form of neonatal resuscitation.
The herpes infection is usually transferred from mother to child during delivery when the baby passes through the birth canal.
A subconjunctival hemorrhage is essentially a burst blood vessel in your eye. It is one of several different disorders collectively known as “red-eye.”