Understanding the Improper Use of Forceps Causing a Birth Injury from Our Portland Birth Injury Lawyer
There are many possible causes of birth injuries. Some of these causes are natural complications of birth. But there are other types of causes which are not natural complications. These causes could be Oregon medical malpractice. This includes Oregon medical malpractice caused to a newborn baby during the labor and delivery process. This means that an infant victim could sustain serious personal injuries or wrongful death. One possible way that this could happen is the improper use of forceps causing a birth injury. Our Portland birth injury lawyer explains how this could happen and why it is possible.
What are Forceps?
Forceps are a device that is used to assist a baby through the birth canal. This is used during a natural or vaginal childbirth. The forceps look like a pair of large spoons and they are to grab the baby’s head to help pull the baby through the birth canal. This is a type of assisted delivery method that is not always used. When it is used, it can help during a difficult labor or a prolonged labor.
Can Forceps Cause Birth Injuries?
Our Portland birth injury lawyer knows that forceps can absolutely cause birth injuries. This is for a few reasons, including the following:
- Friction or abrasion – a baby’s skin is soft and the use of forceps can easily cause serious injury to the face and the delicate skin. This means that a baby’s face could be torn or suffer injury. A baby who has their face injured runs the risk of nerve damage. This is because a baby’s tissue is very soft and facial or cranial nerves are shallow. This combination of weak skin and naturally shallow nerves can lead to serious and irreversible nerve damage.
- Excess pressure – if there is excess pressure in squeezing the forceps, it could result in serious personal injuries to a baby’s head, neck, or brain. This is because a baby’s skulls very soft and not completely fused. The brain is susceptible to serious injury if there is excess pressure on it.
- Twisting or pulling – forceps need to be used carefully. An OB-GYN is must stronger than the baby’s neck muscles and vertebrae. If a OB-GYN pulls or twists too hard on the neck, it can result in serious injury to the baby. This includes damage to the baby’s spinal cord which could result in paralysis. If a surgery twists or attempts to angle the forceps in a dangerous manner, it can cause catastrophic injury to a baby.
- Delayed use – This one is not really caused by the forceps, but by the fact that an OB-GYN might recognize there is a difficult delivery and decide that there needs to be forceps use. The doctor may wait for the correct time to use them, but it might allow for there to be serious personal injuries to the baby to occur. This means that a baby could be in distress and a c-section is really the appropriate mechanism, however the OB-GYN may not realize that and think forceps could be used instead. This is dangerous and potentially deadly for a baby. When in doubt, if there are signs of distress a c-section should always be used.
Ask our Portland Birth Injury Lawyer for Help with Your Birth Injury Claim
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.
