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Injuries to Mothers

Injuries to Mothers

Birth Injuries – Caused by Breech Birth

Many will have heard of the term "breech" when having a baby as it refers to the way in which the baby is positioned prior to delivery. If a baby is the breech position then it can make delivery more complicated.

If things are out of the ordinary and risk factors are involved it can be the case that inexperienced as well as experienced medical staff make mistakes as many decisions may need to be made in a split second.

What is a Breech Birth?

In a breech birth, the part of the baby that enters the mother's birth canal first, is the bottom or leg(s). Breech presentation is not preventable, and in many cases there is no known cause although there are recognised risk factors. Babies that are in a breech position are usually delivered by caesarean section because this reduces the risks to mother and child.

What are the risks?

Because most breech babies are now delivered by caesarean section doctors and midwives may not have the necessary skill and experience to deal with a high risk vaginal delivery and this increases the risk of the baby sustaining a birth injury as a result of mistakes made by either the doctors or midwives. If those mistakes were avoidable then you may be able to pursue a claim for medical negligence. Problems that can occur can include minor injuries to your child as well as the more serious, eg:

  • A prolapse of the umbilical cord which caused oxygen starvation and brain damage with prolonged compression.
  • Meconium aspiration. This is when the baby inhales a mixture of meconium (faeces) and amniotic fluid into the lungs around the time of delivery usually as a result of distress and can cause obstruction of the airway and pneumonia.
  • The head may become stuck if the cervix was not fully dilated which could result in damage to the head or neck resulting in brain damage or paralysis.
  • Fractures to the spine or arm

How we can help

We understand that caring for a child with a catastrophic injury is both stressful and demanding and can have a severe strain on the financial, psychological and physical health of the whole family.

Our clinical negligence team are recognised experts in conducting high value, catastrophic brain injury claims and with the involvement of specialists such a care and occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, educational and psychological experts, and accommodation experts, we will help you to secure a financial settlement that will provide both financial security and a care package that will ensure that all of your care needs will be met for life which will improve you and your child’s quality of life.

Get In Touch or Call us on 0800 195 8467