What is Birth Injury and How You Can Prevent It?


An unborn baby can come from the womb with serious birth defects caused by birth trauma. E-Medicine and Web MD report that birth injury accounts for about 2% of all neonatal deaths and stillbirths in the country. This converts to about 6-8 injuries per 1000 live births. Some terms associated with birth injuries include brachial plexus, cerebral palsy and Erb’s palsy.

Can CP Be Detected During Pregnancy?

Mixed Cerebral Palsy - Another Birth Injury Possibility

The chronic condition known as cerebral palsy is usually divided into different types, each causing a different set of symptoms because of the different parts of the brain that have been damaged, often due to birth injury or improper prenatal care. Among those affected with the condition cerebral palsy there are about 10 percent according to Bright Tots who have the mixed type.

Children affected with the chronic condition known as cerebral palsy are often thought to have sustained a brain injury during labor or delivery due to lack of oxygen or another complication. Studies have shown though, that maternal infection during pregnancy can also cause brain damage to the child which can then result in CP. A study by the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program found that uterine or urinary tract infections in the mother significantly amplified the threat.

Cerebral palsy can be a very challenging, chronic condition for those affected. Despite these challenges, the life expectancy for someone with cp can be quite normal in mild cases. This is not to say that the condition will remain constant for the duration of a person’s life though. As a person with cerebral palsy ages she is likely to experience more of the effects that the symptoms of the condition have had on her body. While symptoms of cerebral palsy vary from person to person, most do take a toll on the body over time.

For children affected by cerebral palsy, physical therapy is likely to be a big part of their daily activities. Physical therapy is usually recommended to begin soon after the diagnosis of CP is made. It has a multitude of benefits to children with cerebral palsy and is usually tailored to the needs of the developing child, to fit changes in his condition and advancing age.

Cerebral palsy is primarily categorized in three types, with spastic quadriplegia being the most severe and disabling form. A vast majority of individuals with this condition are unable to walk and have a difficult time speaking. The limbs might be incredibly stiff, yet their neck may be “loose” due to the fact they have no control over its movement.

According to MedicineNet, Group B streptococcus infections refer specifically to the Streptococcus agalactiae bacteria. This bacterium is regularly found in 10 to 35 percent of all healthy adult women and usually does not cause any adverse symptoms whatsoever. However, sometimes the bacteria can cause dangerous infections in pregnant females, newborns and people with chronic diseases such as diabetes or liver disease.

Group B Streptococcus infections and Newborns

Cerebral palsy, a condition that the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke describes as “any one of a number of neurological disorders that appear in early childhood.” Though this condition does affect muscle movement, it is actually caused by brain injury. The brain has control over these muscle movements and due to abnormalities that occur with injury, the child loses proper function over the muscles.

This refers to the degree of prudence and caution that is required by a doctor or any professional entrusted with a professional duty. A doctor cannot be sued for being human and making an error. However, he can be sued by falling short of the standard of care set by the industry, and breaching a standard of acceptable conduct, which is also considered negligence.