Forceps and Vacuum Delivery

Two of the primary culprits that cause birth injury are forceps and vacuum delivery. Forceps are essentially a medical version of common salad tongs that grip around the head of a newborn in order to facilitate progression through the birth canal. Although they are designed to maintain a specific light grip, the chaotic and complicated atmosphere of childbirth often causes these devices to grip too tightly, turn the head of the baby in the wrong direction, or cause serious compression injuries.

Forceps have been known to cause a number of serious problems to the newborn if the devices are used incorrectly. If the forceps are too tight, the doctor risks seriously damaging the delicate nerves around the face of the baby, and incorrect maneuvering of the device can cause skull fractures or even damage to the umbilical cord which causes the baby to asphyxiate for a few moments.

Although forceps were a standard delivery aid for generations, their use has fallen out of favor recently due to their link to incidents of cerebral palsy. As delivery becomes more and more complicated, alternate methods of helping deliver babies must be developed. This is a small comfort to those parents whose children will forever be affected by the mistake of a careless doctor.

Vacuum delivery is a complicated form of delivery assistance whereby a soft plastic cup called a vacuum extractor is attached to the top of the baby’s head, which combined with hopefully gentle vacuum pressure allows the doctor to maneuver the child into proper birthing condition. Unfortunately deliveries are rarely simple affairs, and sometimes vacuum delivery causes lasting neurological problems to the baby.

Unfortunately, not everything always goes as planned during such a complicated and chaotic event as childbirth. If the doctor uses the incorrect amount of suction or too much pressure, the baby can experience serious complications.

One of these complications is cerebral palsy. Any trauma to a newborn’s head before or during delivery can have lasting repercussions. Sometimes this trauma does not manifest for months or years after birth, and tragically will be with the child throughout their life.