Breech Birth Injury

Normally, babies are born head first, easily allowing the baby to pass through the birth canal without injury to the head or limbs. Sometimes, however, babies are born in the breech position, where the feet or buttocks are positioned to enter the birth canal first. If your baby was harmed because of a medical professional’s failure to address the baby’s breech position properly, we can help. The Baltimore birth injury lawyers at Arfaa Law Group have the experience, skill, and determination to protect your rights.

Breech birth refers to an unusual position of the baby at birth, in which the infant presents with either feet or buttocks first, instead of the normal presentation in which the head is delivered initially. During a breech birth, using forceps to assist in the delivery, the obstetrician may position the fetus incorrectly and cause damage to the spine or spinal cord. On average, 29 out of every 1,000 babies in the United States suffer some kind of birth trauma, which is often the result of poor use of instruments or improper handling of a newborn.

Breech presentation is associated with numerous complications, including head trauma and brain bleeds as well as umbilical cord problems. If not addressed properly, the breech positioning of a baby may lead to a variety of birth injuries, including fetal distress, nerve damage, head trauma, and cervical spine injuries. Many injuries also may arise from the baby being deprived of oxygen during the labor and delivery process. Failure to safely and quickly deliver a baby who is in a breech presentation can cause the baby to experience a lack of oxygen in the brain and result in hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), cerebral palsy, and seizures. Obstetricians and other medical professionals should determine in advance whether a baby is in this position and weigh the appropriate delivery options for both the mother and the child in order to minimize any risk of injury.

If you believe your child’s birth injury was a result of a health care provider’s negligence, you may file a medical malpractice claim against the at-fault party. In order to establish medical malpractice, the parents of an injured child must show that the child’s harm was caused directly by the health care provider’s failure to act as a competent medical professional in the same specialty in response to a breech presentation. Birth injury cases may involve multiple health care providers, including obstetricians, gynecologists, neonatologists, labor and delivery nurses, and other medical professionals. Under Maryland law, such health care providers have an obligation to adhere to a certain standard of care during the labor and delivery process. The standard of care refers to the steps that another medical professional in the same or similar specialty would take under like circumstances. Health care professionals, including doctors, nurses, surgeons, obstetricians, and hospital staff must abide by this standard of care when delivering a newborn.

If your child has been harmed by the carelessness of a medical professional during the labor and delivery process, it is important to speak to a medical malpractice attorney who can assess the merits of your case. At Arfaa Law Group, we have years of experience representing victims of breech birth injuries. With the help of our Baltimore birth injury attorneys, you can take legal action and pursue the justice and compensation that you deserve. We represent Baltimore families facing birth injury issues with care and compassion. To set up a free consultation call 410-889-1850 or contact us online.