Breech Birth Complications Lawyer

During a normal delivery, the baby’s head enters the birth canal first. The structure of the bones allows the head to mold to the shape of the mother’s birth canal for a smooth delivery. It is the widest part of the baby, so it also helps facilitate the birth of the rest of the baby.

In a breech birth, the head can get stuck because of its larger size and inability to mold when presenting from the bottom up. As a result, it can become lodged in the birth canal, and the shoulders can get stuck against the pubic bone, known as shoulder dystocia. In this position, the umbilical cord can get pinched and cut off the baby’s oxygen supply, leading to brain damage.

The two types of breech presentation are feet-first and buttocks-first. In a feet-first presentation, the umbilical cord may emerge ahead of the baby. This condition is known as umbilical cord prolapse. A prolapsed cord can twist, leading to oxygen deprivation and birth asphyxia. The long-term effects of breech delivery complications include the following:

• Cerebral palsy
• Erb’s palsy
• Permanent paralysis or weakness of the arms
• Quadriplegia or paraplegia
• Intellectual disabilities
• Neurological disorders
• Vision loss
• Facial deformities

A doctor who exercises a reasonable standard of care avoids these risks by performing a Cesarean. Doctors who attempt breech deliveries expose mothers and babies to an unnecessary risk of harm. Our passionate birth injury attorneys are ready to hold them accountable if you or your baby were harmed. 

The use of forceps during a breech delivery is a major cause of injury. A doctor may use forceps to attempt to turn a baby, but the amount of pressure needed is very precise. Even a slight error can cause the baby to suffer severe forceps injuries, such as spinal cord damage and brachial plexus injuries from shoulder dystocia. 

Doctors also use forceps to deliver breech babies if they are unsuccessful in turning them. This can cause severe perineal tearing in the mother, resulting in long-term bowel or urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. The baby can suffer skull fractures, brain bleeds, eye trauma, and broken bones.

All of these injuries are preventable, and our knowledgeable breech birth complications lawyers can compare your doctor’s actions to a reasonable standard of care. We are ready to prove that the doctor violated this standard by attempting a breech birth at all.

Whether your doctor attempted a breech birth and ultimately performed a Cesarean or completed the breech birth, we can help you pursue damages if you or your baby were harmed. Damages for breech birth complications may include the following:

• Economic damages – compensate for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other financial losses
• Non-economic damages – compensate for you and your baby’s pain and suffering
• Wrongful death damages – compensate for the loss of your child’s companionship, final expenses, and the child’s estimated future income had they survived