Medical interventions during birth should help the mother bring a healthy child into the world. Unfortunately, when a doctor improperly uses an intervention or intervenes in a birth that would progress naturally if left alone, both mother and child could experience negative medical consequences.
Forceps are among the oldest medical tools used in the birth process. Forceps are a blunt instrument that grips the baby and helps maneuver them through the birth canal. Unfortunately, forceps can cause serious injuries to laboring mothers and their children.
How a forceps delivery can injure a child
When forceps are used in delivery, they could pierce the baby’s body, particularly in delicate areas, such as the soft spot at the top of the head, as well as cause skull fractures and brain injuries from the application of too much pressure.
Additionally, forceps could cause injuries to the eyes of the unborn child, up to and including blindness. Beyond that, the act of gripping, turning or pulling the child could result in soft tissue injuries or even damage to the spinal cord.
How forceps can cause issues for mothers as well
Insertion of a metal tool into the human body can always present potential complications. Forceps can cause tearing, which may result in increased pain, blood loss and infection risk. Additionally, the mother may struggle with fecal incontinence after a forceps delivery that causes tissue damage.
Families whose members suffer serious injuries with provable financial or long-term consequences may be able to bring a medical malpractice claim against the physician involved in the birth if the injury results from improper or unnecessary use of forceps. Find out more about your options today.
