Risk Factors for Birth Injuries in Tennessee Childbirth

By Thomas Greer | January 25, 2015

We always want our pregnancies to go smoothly and end in a trouble-free delivery. Most of the time, this is exactly what happens. But nothing in life is completely safe, and sometimes Tennessee deliveries result in birth injuries .
In just about every case, the baby, even when injured, will recover quickly and won’t suffer any permanent damage. But sometimes the opposite is true, and trauma at birth can result in lasting damage. When this happens, parents want to know why.

If you child was injured at birth, then you know exactly how upsetting and confusing the situation can be. Once the initial shock wears off, you may begin to wonder if someone made a mistake or could have seen this coming. For this reason, it is wise to know the risk factors for birth injury.

Every medical practitioner involved in the delivery of babies should be well trained in recognizing and dealing with these risk factors:

  • The baby weighs over 4,500 grams or 9 pounds, 14 ounces.
  • The baby’s head is too large to pass through the birth canal.
  • The labor continues longer than 24 hours.
  • The pregnancy continues past 42 weeks.
  • There is a small amount of amniotic fluid.
  • The doctor uses forceps or vacuum extraction to deliver the baby.
  • The mother is overweight and/or diabetic.

When one or more of these risk factors is present, the medical team should know exactly what to do to avoid a bad outcome. Yet, each year, about 6-8 babies out of every 1000 born suffer a birth injury, and current research indicates that about 50% of these injuries were preventable.

If your child was injured at birth, and you feel it was due to bad planning, training, or execution on the part of one or more members of the delivery team, it is a good idea to seek legal help.

The experienced legal team at Bailey & Greer stands ready to defend your rights when medical mistakes happen. We offer a caring, detail-oriented approach to our clients and are always willing to take your case to trial. Call us toll free at 901-680-9777 today to see if we can help. Our initial consultation is always free.

Posted in Library, Medical Malpractice