A Closer Look At The Difficult Questions You May Have About Birth Injury

When you are expecting a new baby, one of the first things that you will be anxious to know once your little one arrives is if everything is okay with your child. Even though there will always be the occasional issues that result from a normal labor and delivery, there are some birth injuries that could have been avoided. It is crucial to understand the difference as a parent between what would qualify as a birth injury and what is merely a birth defect. Here are a few answers to some of the prevailing questions you may have about birth injury. 

So what exactly is the difference between a birth injury and a birth defect?

A birth defect is something that occurs as a result of labor and delivery that did not have anything to do with how the medical personnel reacted or did their job. Birth defects are often unavoidable because there may be no prior knowledge that something could go wrong. On the other hand, a birth injury is directly related to either the care you receive while you are pregnant or through the delivery process. Birth injuries can also be relative to medications you may have taken while pregnant. 

What is the likelihood that your baby will suffer from a birth injury?

Birth injuries are actually more common than you may realize, which is why it is important to educate yourself about potential threats throughout your pregnancy and look for the most upstanding in prenatal care. Five out of every 1,000 babies delivered in the United States could suffer from a birth injury, according to FindLaw.com. Unfortunately, because many parents have no idea how common birth injuries are or even that they are mostly unavoidable, they may never seek legal assistance or advice if their baby is born with injuries.

What are some of the most common birth injuries?

There are a range of birth injuries to be aware of as an expecting mother. For example, fractures and broken bones, bruising, cranial trauma, and shoulder dystocia are a few examples. While some birth injuries are clearly the result of medical malpractice, there are some issues that can be questionable. A good example of this is cerebral palsy, which can be caused by trauma to the baby while still in your womb, but can also be the result of a mishandled labor and delivery in which the baby's oxygen flow was restricted for too long.

If you think your baby may have suffered a birth injury, the best thing to do is get in touch with a birth injury lawyer. They can give you an idea of what your rights are and how to proceed.