While less common than they once were, forceps are still used to expedite delivery in certain circumstances. Although advances in medical technology have reduced the need for forceps-assisted deliveries, concerns about forceps causing birth injuries remain. When forceps are used incorrectly or excessive force is applied during delivery, babies can suffer serious injuries that may have lifelong consequences.
If the improper use of forceps led to your child’s birth injury, your family may be entitled to financial compensation under Illinois law. In medical malpractice cases involving birth injuries, parents can seek financial compensation for their families’ financial and non-financial losses. This includes not only the costs associated with neonatal intensive care, but also costs associated with any long-term effects of their baby’s diagnosis.
The improper use of forceps can cause birth injuries in various ways. Some of the most common ways that errors involving the use of forceps can lead to birth injuries include:
Applying excessive pressure to a baby’s head with forceps during delivery can cause skull fracture birth injuries in some cases. In the birth canal, a baby’s skull is still soft, and the bones in the skull have not yet completely fused together. As a result, skull fractures are a very real risk, and avoiding fractures requires a knowledgeable and cautious approach to using forceps to extract the baby from the birth canal.
Along with skull fractures, brain damage due to excessive pressure is a very real risk as well. While skull fractures and brain damage often go hand-in-hand, a baby’s skull does not need to fracture in order for the brain to be damaged. Excessive force can cause bleeding in the brain, disrupted oxygen flow, and other complications—and these complications can potentially lead to cerebral palsy, developmental delays, and other life-altering conditions.
During childbirth, the blades of the forceps should cradle the sides of the baby’s head. Incorrect placement of forceps (i.e., with one blade on the back of the baby’s head and the other on the baby’s face) can potentially cause facial nerve injuries, and these birth injuries can also be permanent in some cases. Potential injuries include facial nerve palsy, which can cause paralysis or drooping of one side of the baby’s face.
Incorrect placement of forceps can also cause birth injuries involving the eyes and ears. If one of the blades is placed on the eye or over the ear, this can cause trauma that can potentially lead to vision or hearing loss. Placing the blades of the forceps on both ears can present the risk for total hearing loss in severe cases.
When using forceps for extraction, doctors and nurses must be extremely careful not to twist the baby’s neck. Twisting can cause severe damage to the nerves in the shoulder and neck—including permanent damage resulting in paralysis or a lifelong disability. A brachial plexus injury (Erb’s palsy) is one of several risks associated with twisting a baby’s neck with forceps during childbirth.
If you have reason to believe that improper use of forceps caused your child’s birth injuries, what should you do? In this scenario, it will be important to:
If your child suffered a birth injury and you believe the improper use of forceps may have played a role, you deserve answers. Birth injuries can lead to significant medical expenses, ongoing care needs, and uncertainty about your child’s future. An experienced birth injury lawyer can help determine what happened during delivery and whether your family may be entitled to compensation.
Our legal team can review your case, explain your options, and help you pursue the financial resources your child may need for medical treatment, therapy, and long-term care.
Contact Coplan + Crane today online or at (312) 982-0588 for a FREE case evaluation. Our Chicago birth injury lawyers help clients across Illinois, including Chicago, Oak Park, Rockford, and other areas.
