Attorney
The birth of a child should be a joyous occasion, but complications like shoulder dystocia can turn it into a distressing experience. Shoulder dystocia, which occurs in approximately 0.6% to 1.4% of babies weighing between 5 pounds, 8 ounces, and 8 pounds, 13 ounces, can lead to significant injuries for both mother and baby.
Additionally, if the baby weighs more than this, the rates jump from 5% to 9%. To make it more complex, this condition is over and under-diagnosed. However, understanding the shoulder dystocia long-term effects of this condition is crucial for families so they know what steps to take after a diagnosis.
What Are Shoulder Dystocia Long-Term Effects?
Shoulder dystocia is a childbirth emergency where one or both of a baby’s shoulders get stuck inside the mother’s pelvis during delivery. This complication can prolong labor and create significant risks for both the mother and the baby.
How Shoulder Dystocia Happens
During a typical vaginal delivery, the baby’s head comes first, followed by the shoulders and the rest of the body. In cases of shoulder dystocia, the baby’s shoulder becomes lodged behind the mother’s pubic bone after the head is out. This obstruction requires urgent medical intervention to deliver the baby safely.
Immediate Complications
Shoulder dystocia can lead to several immediate complications:
- Difficulty in Delivering the Baby: The baby may be unable to breathe until fully delivered, requiring fast and skilled medical maneuvers.
- Need for Urgent Medical Intervention: To facilitate delivery, healthcare providers may need to perform specific techniques, such as the McRoberts maneuver, suprapubic pressure, or an episiotomy.
- Risk of Injury: Both the baby and the mother are at risk for various injuries, which can have long-lasting effects.
Understanding these aspects of shoulder dystocia is crucial for recognizing the potential long-term impacts on both mother and child. If you or your baby have been affected in Washington D.C., Maryland, or Virginia, it’s essential to seek appropriate medical care and support and reach out to a birth injury lawyer to discuss your circumstances.
What Causes Shoulder Dystocia?
Several factors can increase the risk of shoulder dystocia during childbirth. The most common causes and contributing factors include:
- Fetal Macrosomia: This condition occurs when the baby is significantly larger than average (weighing more than 8 pounds 13 ounces). It increases the risk of shoulder dystocia, as larger babies are more likely to have their shoulders get stuck during delivery.
- Maternal Diabetes: Mothers with diabetes, especially gestational diabetes, tend to have larger babies, which raises the likelihood of shoulder dystocia. The increased birth weight associated with diabetes can complicate the delivery process.
- Prolonged Labor: Extended labor, particularly during the second stage, where the mother pushes the baby out, can contribute to shoulder dystocia. Prolonged labor may lead to exhaustion and reduce the effectiveness of maternal pushing efforts.
Contributing Factors
Along with causes, there are contributing factors that put you at a greater risk of your baby having shoulder dystocia, including:
- Maternal Obesity: Excessive maternal weight is a significant risk factor for shoulder dystocia, and it increases the chances of this happening by 1.63 times. Obesity can lead to larger babies and complicate the delivery process, increasing the chances of encountering this complication.
- Multiple Pregnancies: Women carrying twins or multiples are at a higher risk of shoulder dystocia. The likelihood of having at least one larger baby or experiencing prolonged labor increases with multiple pregnancies.
- Use of Delivery Tools: Delivery tools such as forceps or vacuum extractors can also contribute to shoulder dystocia. These tools are sometimes necessary to help in difficult deliveries, but they can increase the risk of the baby’s shoulder becoming lodged.
By understanding these causes and contributing factors, expectant mothers and healthcare providers can better anticipate and manage the risks associated with shoulder dystocia.
Injuries to the Baby and Mother
Shoulder dystocia can result in significant injuries for both the baby and the mother. Understanding these potential injuries and their long-term effects is crucial for managing and seeking appropriate care. For the baby, injuries and long-term complications can include:
- Brachial Plexus Injuries: Nerve damage to the brachial plexus can occur when the baby’s shoulder is stretched during delivery, leading to conditions like Erb’s palsy, which can cause weakness or paralysis in the arm.
- Fractures: The clavicle (collarbone) or humerus (upper arm bone) can fracture during delivery due to the force needed to free the baby’s shoulder.
- Oxygen Deprivation: If the baby is unable to breathe while stuck, it may suffer from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a severe condition caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain.
- Erb’s Palsy: This condition can result in permanent weakness or loss of motion in the affected arm, and roughly 79% of babies with shoulder dystocia develop it.
- Physical Disabilities: Injuries may lead to physical disabilities that require ongoing treatment and therapy.
- Developmental Delays: Oxygen deprivation can cause cognitive and developmental delays.
Treatments for the baby to help manage shoulder dystocia long-term effects include physical therapy to improve strength and mobility. Surgery may be necessary to repair fractures or nerve damage, and ongoing medical care is common.
Injuries to the Mother
The mother may also suffer from injuries of varying severities, including:
- Severe Perineal Tears: Extensive tearing during delivery can cause significant pain and require surgical repair.
- Uterine Rupture: This rare but serious injury can occur, leading to emergency interventions.
- Postpartum Hemorrhage: Severe bleeding after delivery poses a risk and may require blood transfusions and other medical treatments.
- Chronic Pain: Persistent pain from injuries can impact daily life.
- Incontinence: Damage during childbirth can lead to urinary or fecal incontinence.
- Psychological Effects: The trauma of a difficult delivery can result in conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Can You Sue for Shoulder Dystocia?
Legal grounds for suing for shoulder dystocia typically involve proving medical negligence or malpractice. It means demonstrating that healthcare providers failed to follow standard care protocols during delivery. Key steps include:
- Gathering medical records
- Obtaining expert testimonies
- Collecting other relevant evidence to support your claim
Successful lawsuits can lead to compensation covering medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of future earnings. If you believe medical negligence contributed to your shoulder dystocia case, it’s essential to seek legal advice to understand your rights and potential remedies.
Taking the Next Steps
It is important to understand shoulder dystocia’s long-term effects and causes for both mother and baby. If you or your baby have been affected, seeking help and support is essential for managing the aftermath. For experienced legal guidance and a free consultation, contact our staff at Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis, LLP to explore your options and secure the support you need.