Families in the Houston area expecting a baby are usually filled with joy and high expectations for their newborn. Most births go as planned with minimal side effects, but occasionally birth injuries occur that can change a family forever. Large sized babies are one cause of birth injuries.
A baby who is believed to be in the 95th percentile or larger based on gestation age can suffer from numerous injuries during birth. One of the most common birth injuries for larger babies is shoulder dystocia. This injury occurs in almost 10% of births involving larger babies. Shoulder dystocia happens when a baby’s shoulders get stuck behind the mother’s pelvic bone. This can lead to fractures, spinal nerve damage, and even suffocation.
One way to avoid shoulder dystocia in larger babies is to induce labor before the baby becomes too big. By doing so before the 39th week of pregnancy, doctors may be able to reduce the risk of harm to the child. Diagnosing a large baby, though, is not always easy, and a labor induction has a greater risk of a C-section. Parents who have been told their baby may be on the large side may want to make sure they understand the risks of all labor and delivery procedures before agreeing to them.
If a parent believes that their newborn was hurt during the delivery process because of the negligence of a medical professional they may want to contact a legal professional skilled in medical malpractice. An attorney can review the medical records and help determine what went wrong. Compensation may be available for unexpected medical expenses, future medical expenses, and other damages.
Source: Fox News, “For largest babies, inducing labor may help prevent injury during birth”, Apr. 23, 2015
