Shoulder Dystocia

One of the medical malpractice birth injury cases that frequently are found to have merit are ones
that involve shoulder dystocia at birth. The American Family Physician Journal reports that
shoulder dystocia is “[t]ypically defined as a delivery in which additional maneuvers are required
to deliver the fetus after normal gentle downward traction has failed, shoulder dystocia [most
frequently] occurs when the fetal anterior shoulder impacts against the maternal symphysis
following delivery of the vertex.” In layman’s terms, the baby’s shoulder gets stuck under the
mom’s pubic bone. The basis for a malpractice birth injury case against a physician (usually
either an obstetrician or family doctor delivers babies) is that excessive traction or force was used
to deliver the baby. Here is what that situation looks like:

The amount of traction applied here could lead to a severe brachial plexus injury, which involve
nerves that can drastically affect the use of the child’s arm and hand.

Chicago Birth Injury Attorney

If you are looking for a Chicago birth injury attorney, with experience in shoulder dystocia, fetal
distress, and other birth injury issues, contact my office today.