Forceps can Cause Serious Injuries when used during Delivery

By Thomas Greer | January 12, 2014

When parents learn that they are pregnant, they plan for many things, including preparing the baby’s room for when they come home.  One of the things that they probably never think about is discussing with their doctor whether or not forceps would be used during the delivery.  However, the decision to use these tools at the time of their baby’s death could have life-altering consequences.

Forceps are tools that are used in the delivery of a baby when the delivery has not proceeded easily.  These may be used to pull a large baby through the birth canal or they may be used when a child has presented in a breech or abnormal delivery.  Vacuum extractors are another tool that may be used under these circumstances.  Although circumstances may require the use of extraordinary measures, many times the use of forceps leads to terrible harm to the child.

The improper or wrongful use of forceps may lead to severe injuries in a newborn baby, including:

  • Bleeding in the baby’s head in the area in the outer tissue enclosing the skull, usually between the tissue layer known as the periosteum and the parietal bone of the skull – This medical condition in known as a cephalohematoma and the blood may not be reabsorbed into the baby’s tissue for several months.  In cases where the injury is severe, it can lead to brain damage.
  • Lacerations and bruises – Harm to the skin and tissue of the head, or other body part grasped during delivery, regularly occurs with the use of forceps.
  • Paralysis of the facial nerve – If the doctor uses the forceps over a prolonged period of time, the baby can experience facial nerve paralysis, which may go away over time, but also may be permanent damage.
  • Intracranial hemorrhaging – broken blood vessels in the infant’s head can lead to severe harm, including brain injury, seizures, and failure to thrive.
  • Broken bones – The use of forceps can lead to damage to the baby’s skull, including fracturing of the bone.
  • Injuries to the spine – In rare cases, the doctor’s improper use of forceps can lead to damage to the spinal cord that can cause paralysis, and even death.

The tools that a doctor uses during the delivery of a baby are supposed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the mother and child.  However, when the doctor uses these tools improperly, the results can be devastating.  The negligent use of the tools could be the result of manual misuse, specifically not utilizing the forceps in the manner in which they should be used.  However, the negligence also could be the result of the doctor allowing the situation to get to the point where forceps are necessary when an earlier diagnosis of a problem could have led to a different solution, for example ordering a Cesarean section rather than a natural birth that required the use of tools.

Discovering that you are pregnant likely was one of the most joyful moments of your life.  You anticipated the birth of your child with joy and hope for the future.  You probably never thought about what would happen if the doctor’s negligent use of forceps caused severe harm to your baby.  Now that you are faced with this devastating reality, you need to experienced Tennessee birth injury attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC.  Our compassionate and skilled attorneys can help you get the answers that you need and the compensation that your baby deserves.  To schedule a free and confidential consultation, please call us at 901-680-9777.  At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.

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