Periventricular Leukomalacia in Newborns

Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is an injury to the brain which occurs when tissue deep in the baby’s brain, called the white matter, dies away or is damaged.   If a baby’s brain does not receive enough oxygen during labor and delivery, the brain cells in the…

Birth Injury Due To Placental Abruption

The placenta is an organ that develops inside a woman’s uterus during pregnancy. Once a baby is conceived, the placenta forms to supply oxygen and nutrients to the baby, as well as remove waste products from the baby's blood. The placenta attaches to the uterine…

Microcephaly Following Hypoxic Brain Injury at Birth

Microcephaly is a medical condition defined by a small head circumference. It is noticeable as a disproportionately small head for the size of the growing child. There are many different ways this condition can develop, including preventable brain injury at birth, which stunts the growth…

Chorioamnionitis

Chorioamnionitis is a serious complication during labor that may result in serious, irreversible injuries to the mother and child at birth.  Affecting approximately 10% of pregnancies, this condition is also known as intra-amniotic infection (IAI).  Chorioamnionitis is characterized by inflammation and infection of the fetal…

Incompetent Cervix

An incompetent cervix, also called a cervical insufficiency, is a potentially serious condition of pregnancy that occurs when weak cervical tissue causes or contributes to premature birth or the loss of an otherwise healthy pregnancy. This type of condition has been described by experts as…

Vacuum Extraction And Subgaleal Hematoma

Approximately 5% (1 in 20) of all deliveries in the United States are operative vaginal deliveries. An operative vaginal delivery refers to a physician’s use of either forceps or a vacuum device when a woman’s labor has stalled. Over time, the rate of operative vaginal…

Vacuum-Assisted Delivery And Birth Injury

Sometimes, during the labor and delivery process, the baby needs a little help getting through the birth canal. Approximately 1 out of 20 vaginal deliveries in the United States result in some form of assistance being required. Prolonged labor can be dangerous to the baby…

Group B Strep Infection Causing Birth Injury

Group B streptococcus (GBS), is a bacterium that can cause serious infections in newborn babies. It is one of many types of streptococcal bacteria, commonly referred to as "strep." Approximately one in three to four pregnant women in the US carries GBS. It is found…

Kernicterus

Despite advances in neonatal care, preventable injuries to newborns are still prevalent in the United States. Jaundice, a common medical condition in infants, is characterized by yellow tinting of a newborn's skin and the whites of the eyes (conjunctiva). This yellowing is a sign that…

Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy, or CP, is one of the most common birth injuries associated with medical negligence in the United States. This serious medical condition is the result of an injury to the baby’s brain, including brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery.…