What is a birth injury?

Occasionally during the birth process, the baby may suffer a birth injury. This is due to an unfavorable event that occurred during birth. This may also be called birth trauma. A birth injury or birth trauma refers to a wide range of injuries that affect the baby's body function or structure. The injuries can be mild to severe. They can result in significant damage or even be life-threatening.

What causes birth injury?

Birth injuries are more common when:

• The baby is large

• The baby is not head-first in the birth canal

• The baby is born prematurely, or too early

• The size or shape of the mother's pelvis or birth canal makes it difficult for a normal vaginal birth

• Labor is difficult or very long, such as when contractions aren't strong enough to move the baby through the birth canal

• The mother is very overweight

• There is a cesarean delivery

• Devices, like vacuum or forceps, are used to deliver the baby

What are some of the more common birth injuries?

The following are common birth injuries:

• Swelling or bruising of the head

• Bleeding underneath a cranial bone

• Breakage of small blood vessels in the eyes of a baby

• Facial nerve injury caused by pressure on the baby's face

• Injury to the group of nerves that supplies the arms and hands 

• Fracture of the clavicle or collarbone