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Home  >  Articles  >  What is Shoulder Dystocia?

What is Shoulder Dystocia?

The delivery of a baby is an arduous process. If anything goes wrong, it can hurt both the mother and the child. Sometimes, complications such as shoulder dystocia can arise during the birthing process. If doctors do not treat shoulder dystocia in the proper manner, it can lead to permanent brachial plexus damage such as Erb’s palsy or Klumpke’s palsy.

While some birth injuries heal with treatment, others can affect your child for the rest of his or her life. If your son or daughter has brachial plexus damage due to a medical error, you may be able to fight back against this terrible act of negligence. To discuss the facts of your case, contact an experienced New Jersey birth injuries attorney from Levinson Axelrod, P.A., today at 800-346-5529.

Causes of Shoulder Dystocia

When a baby moves through the birth canal, he or she is supposed to be head down and sideways. In some cases, the baby’s head can exit the birth canal without issue but the upper shoulder can catch against the mother’s pubic bone. This can occur due to problems such as:

  • Small pelvic opening
  • Abnormalities with the shape of the mother’s pelvis
  • Macrosomia (excessive birth weight)

If a doctor pulls on the baby’s head or neck, permanent damage can occur. Instead, obstetricians should use special maneuvering and positioning techniques to safely remove the child.

Brachial Plexus Injuries

Pulling on a child who is stuck in shoulder dystocia can damage and even sever a group of nerves called the brachial plexus. This can lead to paralysis from the shoulder to the fingertips, classified as either Erb’s palsy or Klumpke’s palsy.

Contact Us

A brachial plexus injury can permanently disable your child, preventing him or her from moving the damaged arm. If your doctor has mishandled shoulder dystocia, resulting in this devastating injury, please contact an experienced New Jersey birth injury lawyer from Levinson Axelrod, P.A., at 800-346-5529 today for a free consultation.