Understanding Chicago Vacuum Extraction Birth Injuries

Birth assisting tools have been in use for decades, however, the incidence of birth injuries associated with the use of these tools is still high. During difficult deliveries, a birth assisting tool such as vacuum extraction can be beneficial, however, if used improperly, it can lead to several medical complications.

What is a Vacuum Extraction?

A vacuum extractor is typically used to assist delivery when difficult labor is taking too long. During a contraction, the doctor applies a hard or a soft cup at the back of the baby’s head and uses suction to pull the baby out.

Injuries that can result from a vacuum extractor

Using a vacuum extractor can risk the health and wellbeing of a baby. Generally, for vacuum extraction to be safe and effective, the following should be true:

• The baby should be younger than 34 weeks
• The baby’s head should not be too far up in the birth canal
• The baby should not be too large for the size of the mother’s pelvis
• The baby should not require re-positioning
• The mother should be fully dilated

If the vacuum extractor is not properly used, it can cause injuries such as:

• skull fractures
• brain hemorrhages
• retinal hemorrhages
• brachial plexus injuries (shoulder dystocia, Klumpke’s Palsy, Erb’s palsy)
• cerebral palsy

If left untreated, some of these conditions can lead to disabilities, paralysis, other life-long medical conditions, and even death.

Symptoms of Vacuum Extraction-Related Birth Injuries

As discussed, vacuum extraction can cause a wide variety of injuries, and each of the injuries have a different set of signs and symptoms. For example, if the child suffers a birth injury related to the brachial plexus (the group of nerves running between the neck and shoulder), the baby may experience symptoms such as a claw like hand, arm weakness, and paralysis. However, if the child suffers a skull fracture after a vacuum extraction assisted delivery, the symptoms will be entirely different.

Most vacuum extraction injuries are related to the head or brain, because the suction is applied to head. Due to this, some of the most common symptoms of vacuum extraction related injuries are seizures and lethargy. The baby may exhibit these signs within hours of birth.

Are these injuries preventable?

Whether or not a doctor can be held liable for your child’s injury depends on whether the injury was preventable. Generally, vacuum extraction injuries are preventable. The mother too can play a role in preventing injuries by requesting the doctor to use forceps instead of a vacuum extractor, or the mother can ask the doctor the stage the baby is at before approving a vacuum assisted delivery.

If your child has suffered an injury after vacuum extraction delivery, you may have a claim. Remember, birth injuries can be long lasting and even permanent. The child may require long term treatment and therapy to fully recover from the injury. So, it is important to seek legal help from an experienced Matt Willens birth injury lawyer, who can help recover rightful compensation for your child’s injury. Call (312) 957-4166 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney at Willens Law Offices. If your child was injured due to negligence, we can help.