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Birth injuries happen for a variety of reasons, and one of those reasons is the improper use of forceps during the delivery process.
Forceps are a metal tool routinely used during childbirth to ease the passage of the baby through the birth canal. Used correctly, forceps can assist in delivering infants who have been improperly positioned, thus reducing the risk of oxygen deprivation.
However, some want the public to be aware that when forceps are used improperly, cerebral palsy and other birth injuries may result.
Made of two rounded cups on each end, forceps are placed around a child’s head. Typically, forceps are required if the infant is improperly positioned or suffering from fetal distress. When a child needs some help in speedily getting through the birth canal, forceps are employed. The medical team may also employ forceps if the mother is having trouble pushing.
Although forceps can help save a child’s life in severe instances, they may also cause permanent or serious damage to the child if used incorrectly. Nerve damage and head trauma are among the types of birth injuries which result from improper forceps use. Should the child suffer a brain injury as a result of head trauma, they may develop cerebral palsy, a birth injury which can negatively affect muscle coordination and movement control. While forceps deliveries contain a certain amount of risk, doctors and other medical professionals are still required to uphold a certain level of care to decrease the risk of injury. Should the medical team fail to meet this standard of care, and a child suffers a birth injury as a result, the family may have legal recourse.
The use of forceps has been known about in the medical field for hundreds of years In hospitals in Brooklyn and Manhattan. During this time, improvements have been made to help doctor’s realize when the use of forceps is needed and when other measures or time should be called upon. While no one wants to think their doctor could make a mistake, they do.
If your child was born with a birth injury, contact a New York City Birth Injury Attorney or Law Office and ask whether you have legal recourse for your child’s birth injury. New York Birth Injury Law Offices remain committed to protecting the rights of those who have been injured as a result of another’s negligence.