What is a birth injury?
Birth injuries constitute serious injury to a newborn infant, or any other damage done to an infant's body before, during, or directly after delivery. The injury can occur to either the baby or the mother at birth. Labor and delivery is a critical time, and inadequate monitoring, evaluation, or delivery techniques may result in neurological injury to the baby. In some instances, the baby does not receive an adequate supply of oxygen (whether during labor, delivery or immediately after delivery) and as a result suffers brain injury. There are many different types of birth injuries and the effects range greatly, from a minor bruise or skin reaction to a more serious trauma to the head or shoulders. Other forms of birth injury may involve skull fractures or other forms of trauma resulting from the use of forceps and vacuum extraction devices, as well as injuries affecting the baby's use of his or her arm caused by overly aggressive traction on the baby's head during delivery (Erbs Palsy or Brachial Plexus Palsy).