Having a baby is an amazing experience, and one that usually goes without complications. However, sometimes there are umbilical cord problems that lead to birth injury or death. Knowing why these issues occur can help you make decisions about finding a New York lawyer to pursue a birth injury claim.
Umbilical Cord Problems that Lead to Birth Injuries
Umbilical cords complications are not always caused by doctor error. First, it is necessary to understand what the umbilical cord does. The cord contains two arteries and a vein that move blood containing oxygen and nutrition, from the placenta to the fetus, then waste material from the fetus. These arteries and vein are the lifeline from the mother to the baby. Rarely, the umbilical cord has one artery and the one vein, causing fetal and birth problems. Sometimes cords are too short and cause difficulties such as leaving not enough “give” for the fetus to move around and grow. Read the rest »
Childbirth is a magical time for the majority, but when there are complications involved, it can get quite scary. During the actual birthing process, there are several injuries that can occur to both mother and baby. While some conditions are minor and can be treated right away, there are others that can turn out to be life-altering. Erb’s palsy is one such injury that may affect a newborn as they are being delivered, impacting approximately one to two babies out of every 1,000 births. However, it is often avoidable, and that’s when it may be time to get a dedicated 
Erb’s palsy is a disorder that occurs when a baby’s upper arms are damaged during delivery. The condition gets its name from the location in the body where it occurs – at Erb’s point, the area close to the baby’s neck where the fifth and sixth cranial nerves meet to create the brachial plexus, or where the shoulder meets the neck. The nerves in the brachial plexus control movement in the baby’s arm, hand, and fingers so if Erb’s palsy occurs, it’s these areas that will be mostly affected.
The umbilical cord is vital to ensuring the health and well-being of a developing infant within a mother’s womb. There are a few umbilical cord problems that are quite common, however, and can have potentially severe consequences for an unborn child. These problems are not birth injuries in their own right, because many of them cannot be avoided and are not caused by the birthing process. However, some of these problems can lead to birth injuries such as cerebral palsy, birth asphyxia, and long-term brain damage if doctors do not properly identify and respond to them.
RSS