During certain difficult pregnancies, a mother may find herself able to deliver her child. Any number of factors can be involved, including exhaustion, disability, an awkward birthing position, or a traumatic labor. When natural delivery is no longer an option, medical professionals are faced with a choice -- how to get the baby out safely while minimizing the danger to its health and the health of the mother. Historically, physicians have used instruments like forceps to literally extract the newborn from the birth canal. With recent improvements in caesarian section procedures, however, this practice of forceps-assisted birth has gone somewhat out-of-fashion.
To prepare for forcep-assisted deliveries, the medical team typically first provides an epidural and pain-relief medication to the mother, then secures the baby with forceps and makes an incision from the vagina to the anus (known as an "episiotomy").
The problem with delivering a baby this way is that bruising, contusions, cuts, nerve damage, and even brain damage can afflict the infant. The mother can also suffer injuries, like blood loss, damage to her uterus and vagina, and even some forms of palsy.
If medical professionals assisting your birth were in any way negligent or at fault for a birth injury, you may have a legal liability case. Discover your options for compensation here. You're welcome to set up a free appointment to discuss your matter in confidence with the team of Cherry Fieger & Marciano, LLP -- Pennsylvania's most renowned and reputable personal injury representatives. Dial our hotline, toll-free, at 610-400-8916, or e-mail us via our website.
