What is birth injury? Birth injury is physical trauma that happens to the mother or baby during labour. The harm caused is usually minor and temporary, but in rare cases can be extremely serious. According to the Birth Trauma Association, around 30,000 women a year experience some form of birth trauma in the UK.
What causes birth injuries? Birth injuries are the result of excessive pressure in the birth canal during labour. This is usually caused by the baby being in the wrong position for delivery, such as breeched, or simply the size of the baby being too big for the pelvis.
The equipment used during assisted delivery can also cause birth injuries. With premature births and in emergency situations, forceps can be used to turn or help release the baby. More commonly, a ventouse (vacuum cup) is attached to the baby’s head so the midwife can gently pull as you push.
Sometimes avoidable birth injury occurs due to medical negligence. This includes a failure to monitor or treat the mother or baby correctly, or unnecessarily forceful or incorrect delivery methods.
Types of birth injury
There are several types of birth injury, from minor issues like bruising and scratches to major harm such as nerve damage and broken bones.
In rare cases, the pressure in the birth canal or from delivery equipment can cause a brain injury. This can lead to permanent neurological disorders like cerebral palsy. As these are lifelong conditions, you could seek support by submitting a brain injury claim in cases of clinical negligence.
Birth injuries can also happen to the mother as well as the baby. Most women experience a perineal tear or cut (damage to the skin between the vagina and anus) during labour. Another common injury is damage to the pelvic floor, the muscles that support the bladder, womb and bowel.
Getting support following a birth injury
Birth injuries can be traumatic, especially if they were incurred during an emergency situation. This means that they can affect your mental wellbeing, not just your physical health.
Women who have experienced birth trauma often find it hard to bond with their baby, or conversely become overly anxious in their approach to parenting. Getting counselling for post-natal PTSD will help you to process your emotions and nurture an authentic connection with your child.
You should also communicate your feelings with friends and family, and ask for support with childcare when you are physically or mentally drained. Local support groups with people going through a similar situation are a useful reminder that you’re not alone.
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