You have just given birth and you learn that shoulder dystocia was present during delivery. This is the first time that you have heard of this and you are now wondering what lies in store for your child. Want to learn more about this condition? Stay tuned.
Hello, I am Maryland medical malpractice attorney Marcus Boston and I want to talk to you today about how this type of dystocia occurs. Shoulder dystocia happens when after a child’s head is delivered, the shoulder is trapped behind the pelvis. A diagnosis for shoulder dystocia occurs when after the head is delivered, the shoulder fails to be delivered. When this condition is present, the delivery room is in a state of obstetric emergency. The reason this is the case is because death can occur, usually by suffocation, if this situation is not remedied.
With that said, doctors have numerous maneuvers they can use to help get the shoulder free, such as the McRoberts maneuver. This is done to widen the mother’s pelvis and flatten the pelvic spine. Where issues can occur in these types of cases is when doctors realize shoulder dystocia is present, panic and begin apply traction to the child’s head.
None of the maneuvers doctors are taught require the doctor to use force on the child’s head. This is the case because force to the child’s head can cause even further complications. Even though this situation is an emergency, doctors are taught to use maneuvers to assist with delivery, and not use force to the child’s head. When force to the child’s head occurs, an analysis of a breach of the standard of care should ensue.
So why am I explaining this to you today? Because you may have just discovered that your child is suffering from birth related injuries due to shoulder dystocia. Because you know is the time to speak to someone. Here’s what you can do. Pick up the phone and give me a call. I can be reached at 301-850-4832. Or you can send me an email at medicalinjury “at” bostonlawllc.com (Remember to replace “at” with @). We answer questions like yours all the time and we would be glad to hear your story.
