Raising children in Kentucky can provide you with a life of love, enrichment and happiness, but what happens when one of your children suffers a birth injury? While the risks vary depending on the type of delivery your child endures, birth injuries and overall infant mortality rates are high in the state. According to the Kentucky Department for Public Health Division of Maternal and Child Health, in an average year, nearly 65 percent of deaths in children 0-17 years of age were infants. Some injuries are more common than others, and understanding how they occur may be helpful if you are seeking malpractice damages on behalf of your child.
The mishandling of forceps during birth can be a common birth injury that may result in brain damage, facial scarring and certain types of palsy. While medical technology has allowed obstetricians to use safer methods for children who are breech or otherwise trapped in the birthing canal, forceps are still used in many hospitals across the state.
Brain damage can occur during birth if the doctor mishandles the infant or manipulates the head or neck improperly during delivery. A newborn infant’s head and brain are typically quite vulnerable to injury in the first few months of life, so incidents like this may be possible. Delayed C-sections may also cause brain damage if the placenta begins to die before the child can be delivered, which may deprive him or her of oxygen. Either of these types of brain injuries can lead to lifelong problems, from learning disabilities to the need for long-term medical care.
This content is to provide you with information about birth injuries and should not be interpreted as legal advice.