by Amanda Vittitow

Created on: December 04, 2008   Last Updated: December 16, 2008

Birth injuries range from mild to severe, ranging from bruising to brain damage. Most birth injuries are not the result of malpractice but are more likely the result of the birthing process.

-Bruising: Sometimes a baby will have bruising across the face, either due to the forceps or from the baby passing through the birth canal and coming into contact with the mother's pelvic bone. In some extreme cases, forceps can cause a depressed skull fracture which can be corrected with surgery. Vacuum extraction can cause bruising along the baby's face but can, also, be the cause of a more serious birth injury: Caput Succedaneum, which is swelling of the baby's scalp. The swelling will generally reduce in a couple of days.

-Cerebral Palsy: Cerebral palsy is a permanent medical condition that can result simply from a mistake or accident in the delivery room or can result in the womb. Cerebral palsy is not a life threatening condition but is characterized by a loss of muscle control and body movements.

-Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy: This is known as an oxygen deficiency that may occur at birth if the amount of oxygen is low in the baby's brain. This lack of oxygen can cause substantial damage to the fragile tissue. Many times hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is caused by a prolonged C-Section and can be avoided if the delivery team acts in a timely manner.

-Cortical Blindness, aka Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI): The diagnosis of CVI is indicated in children showing abnormal visual impairments not related to the eyes themselves. Common causes of CVI include hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, drug use by the mother, twin pregnancy, and central nervous system developmental defects. Symptoms include: photophobia (light sensitivity), poor visual acuity, and visual field loss.

-Subconjunctival Hemorrhage: This is a common birth defect and results in tiny blood vessels breaking around the iris (colored part) of one or both eyes. These hemorrhages are not life threatening to the baby's vision and will generally disappear within a week or two.

-Cephalohematoma: This term refers to bleeding between a bone and its fibrous covering. In regards to childbirth, this injury is typically seen on the baby's head and will resolve in two weeks to three months. If the cephalohematoma is large, the skin may become jaundiced as the red blood cells start to break down.

-Facial Paralysis: During the birthing process, pressure on the baby's face may cause facial nerves to become paralyzed, or may also occur if forceps are used. The injury is often seen when the baby cries. If the nerves are simply bruised, the paralysis will clear up in a couple of weeks. If the nerves are more severely damaged, surgery may be necessary.

-Fractured Bones: The most common bone fracture is to the collarbone, usually occuring during difficult or breech birthing. The baby with a fractured collarbone rarely moves the arm. In most cases, the baby recovers once the collarbone is immobilized. As new bones form, a hard lump often develops in the first ten days.

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