Every potential mother hopes for a smooth labor and delivery with no complications. The goal, after all, is a healthy baby. While the vast majority of women give birth without any serious complications, there are certain emergency situations that can arise, such as shoulder dystocia. Shoulder dystocia can be one of the scariest emergencies in the delivery room. If your child has been injured because a medical professional failed to handle shoulder dystocia properly, we can help. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, our seasoned Rochester birth injury attorneys can analyze the facts of your case and help you determine your next steps.
Shoulder dystocia is a serious condition in which one or both of a baby’s shoulders become stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone during delivery. Put another way, shoulder dystocia occurs when an infant’s shoulder catches on the mother’s hips during childbirth. Approximately 1 percent of all deliveries experience shoulder dystocia complications. However, 20 percent of affected babies suffer temporary or permanent injuries.
When shoulder dystocia occurs, immediate and detail-oriented medical attention is needed. There are a number of last-minute safety techniques that can help prevent injury to the mother and infant. In some cases, an emergency C-section surgery will be required to deliver the baby because the umbilical cord may be compressed and cutting off oxygen to the baby’s brain. Failing to recognize and treat shoulder dystocia can lead to serious and long-term injuries to the newborn, including brain injury, brachial plexus damage, bone fractures, nerve injury, Erb’s palsy, maternal hemorrhage after delivery, cerebral palsy, and a variety of other dangerous health conditions.