The failure, or delay in performing a C-Section is one of the primary causes of a birth injury. There are several factors that go into making the case as to whether to perform a C-Section [1] and when it should be conducted. Doctors must remain highly attentive to the mother and baby during the birthing process. In some instances, the mother’s medical history will be an important factor to be weighed in to determine the correct form of treatment.

Injuries can appear when the doctors fall short in identifying the information that requires them to act, and they fail to do so. When the baby’s fetal heart monitor strips display that the baby is no longer tolerating the vaginal delivery along with a failure to perform a C-Section, or if there is a delay in performing the procedure, concerns are warranted. Standard of care issues will become apparent if a reasonable and prudent doctor, under identical circumstances, would have acted in a different way than the doctor who provided the treatment, and this departure from the standard of care is what caused the injury in the baby and/or mom.

A C-section is needed depending on the type of medical event the doctors are facing in the delivery room. An injury can arise when the doctors should rescue the baby but instead decide to extend the mother’s labor or have her continue to “bear down” and continue with a vaginal delivery. Additionally, when the doctors allow the labor and delivery to go on too long, an injury can occur, which can ultimately lead to the need of a C-section. When this happens, sometimes the birth injury has already occurred, and the cause of the injury is because of the delay in performing the C-Section.

[1] Mayo Clinic C-Section https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/c-section/about/pac-20393655