Florida Erbs Palsy Birth Injury Lawyer Advice to Pregnant Women: "Discuss Options with Your Doctor Before Entering the Delivery Room"
According to the March of Dimes, shoulder dystocia injuries to babies can occur as a result of difficult vaginal birth. Shoulder dystocia -- dystocia means "slow or difficult labor or delivery" -- occurs when the baby's shoulder gets stuck behind the mother's pubic bone. If the doctor uses too much force in delivering the infant, potentially serious conditions known as brachial plexus paralysis and Erb's palsy injuries can occur.
Broward County, Florida birth injury attorney Debi Chalik says mothers-to-be should be informed of their own medical history, medical conditions, as well as their birthing options. The March of Dimes says that while shoulder dystocia may be difficult to predict, a set of risk factors exists that pregnant women should be aware of. Shoulder dystocia and Erb's palsy related injuries may occur in women who...
- struggle with their weight
- have diabetes
- are pregnant with multiple babies
- have given birth to large babies in the past
- have a history of difficult vaginal birth
Attorney Debi Chalik has worked with a number of women in Florida whose babies have suffered Erbs palsy related injury. She says pregnant women with these risk factors "don't always realize that they may be a candidate for a C-section." Medical journal research studies have shown that women who have Cesarean section births are less likely to have babies that suffer shoulder dystocia and Erbs palsy birth injuries than women who give birth through the vaginal canal.
"Often times these shoulder dystocia injuries occur when the baby is too large for a vaginal birth," Attorney Debi Chalik says. Pregnant women who have concerns should "Discuss [their] options with [their] doctor before entering the delivery room. Mothers need to know what their options are before going into labor."
Related Erb's Palsy Birth Injury Article:
Q&A with Florida Erb's Palsy injury lawyer Debi Chalik
Sources:
March of Dimes: Shoulder Dystocia
Route of Delivery and Neonatal Birth Trauma (abstract)
American Journal of Obstetric and Gynecology Jan. 15, 2010
