Vacuum and Forceps Delivery and Negligence
When mothers have difficulty delivering their babies, doctors, midwives and other medical professionals can use extraction tools to help mothers deliver their babies vaginally through the birth canal, as opposed to having a Cesarean section (C-section) that requires anesthesia and is considered major surgery. These steps can be taken when or if there is a:
- Vertex presentation
- Complete cervical dilation
- Ruptured membranes
- No known severe cephalopelvic disproportion
- The baby is easily accessible in the birth canal. If the fetus is too high up and inaccessible, forceps or vacuum cannot be used.
The mother is a candidate when she is experiencing:
- Maternal exhaustion
- Prolonged second stage of labor
- Medical conditions for which the strain of the second stage of labor would be deleterious such as preeclampsia
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When Injuries Result
Occasionally, serious injuries can occur during labor and delivery due to negligent use of the forceps or the vacuum extraction tools by the attending doctor or nurse. Injuries can include:
- Skull fractures from excessive use of force with forceps
- Brain injury
- Fractures and internal bleeding
- Brain hemorrhage, when suction of the vacuum has caused blood vessels to burst, leading to serious brain damage or even death.
The use of forceps, vacuum or Cesarean section is considered “operative delivery.”
- Guidelines for using forceps are clear and improper use can cause serious injury
- Failure to notice that the baby is too large for vaginal delivery
- Failure to notice fetal distress during delivery
At the San Francisco Birth Injury Law Office we have extensive experience with birth injury cases. Our attorneys have been helping families get the answers they need and hold those who caused them harm accountable for more than 30 years.
We want to hear your story. We can help you understand whether your baby was injured as a result of negligence. We have been successful in obtaining meaningful awards and settlements for babies injured because of negligence.
Whether you are facing a case of Vacuum & vaginal delivery issues, Induction Injuries, Resuscitation Injuries or Emergency Cesarean section issues, our Attorneys will defend your rights.
In this delicate and sad cases, the experience of our Attorneys and the empathetic approach makes our Law Firm the choice for hundreds of clients.
We represent all personal injury clients on a contingency fee basis, which means we charge no attorney’s fee unless we win results on your behalf. Contact us to get a free consultation!