Advanced Maternal Age and Birth Defects

A new study has found that expectant mothers living close to hydraulic fracturing wells are more likely to experience high-risk pregnancies or deliver prematurely. Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, involves drilling into the earth and pumping water, chemicals and sand to release the natural gas inside. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of...

A new study shows that although Florida’s premature birth rate has improved since four years ago, the state still has a high number of such births every year. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, Florida’s premature birth rate has dropped from 13.6 percent in 2013 to 9.9 percent in 2014. The March of...

Cerebral palsy is one of the most common conditions that can be caused by birth injuries, occurring in 2.1 of every 1,000 live births. When it occurs as the result of negligence on the part of medical personnel, the parents may be entitled to compensation through a birth injury lawsuit filed against the medical providers....

A new study has found that babies born through cesarean sections are at a higher risk of developing chronic health ailments such as obesity, asthma and type-1 diabetes later in life than infants born vaginally. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 32 percent of newborns in the United States are delivered...

A couple filed a birth injury lawsuit on July 10, alleging that their son developed Erb’s palsy following a long and difficult childbirth due to the negligence of hospital personnel. The lawsuit states that the midwife, obstetrician and several nurses at the federally managed Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida, Inc. deviated from accepted standards...

A jury rendered an award of $53 million to a 12-year-old boy who was born with a serious brain injury following 12 hours of fetal distress in the course of the delivery. The trial in the medical malpractice cased lasted one month, and was initiated in December 2013 by the boy’s guardian, who filed a...

Epidurals have become a common method for managing pain during labor and delivery. Over half of all pregnant women in the United States choose to receive the injections for pain relief during childbirth. An epidural injection is a regional anesthesia administered intravenously around the lower spinal cord area. It is popular because it can help...

Approximately two to five out of every 1,000 births result in brachial plexus injuries, such as Erb’s Palsy, according to the United Brachial Plexus Network. Erb’s palsy symptoms vary in degree from baby to baby and can rob children of many milestones. As your child gets older, he or she will need answers about the...

You Didn’t Expect This… No parent wants to see their newborn injured, sick or in pain.  It’s even worse when the injury could have been prevented!   Infants are the most precious gifts.  Obstetricians begin caring for them before they are born, by monitoring and caring for expectant mothers. Unfortunately, pregnancy is a very vulnerable...

A Brachial plexus injury, also known as Brachial plexus palsy, is an injury that occurs during the delivery of a newborn when the head and shoulder are abnormally stretched, damaging the nerves of the shoulder. This birth injury may cause your newborn’s arm to lay limp or have limited mobility in the shoulder and/or hand....

The parents of a baby born in 2013 filed an Erb’s palsy lawsuit alleging that their infant son will suffer neurological damage and be disabled for the rest of his life due to the negligence of physicians and the attending midwife at his birth, at Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida. The birth injury lawsuit...

Simulation using manikins is becoming an integral part of medical training around the country to help improve the quality of care for patients. Research indicates that simulated learning environments contribute to preparing medical staff for emergencies, enhance their skills and allow them to practice rarely used procedures. In addition, simulator training is credited with reducing...

When a mother hears that her newborn baby suffered a birth injury, she is often not prepared for this news and doesn’t know much about birth injuries. So, when a mother hears the terms Erb’s palsy and shoulder dystocia used after her baby is born, she needs to understand the connections between the two birth...

There is no one single cure for Erb’s palsy. The likelihood of recovery depends on the severity of the underlying injury. Proper medical and therapeutic care may remedy the effects of the injury or lessen the long-term impact. Unfortunately, the effects may be permanent in the most severe cases of nerve damage. Common Erb’s Palsy...

Trauma during the labor and delivery process can lead to either minor or severe birth injuries. These injuries might include: Broken or fractured bones Infections Cerebral Palsy Brain trauma Skin lacerations Brain swelling Lack of oxygen Neurological disorders Some of these birth injuries, like a lack of oxygen or bruising, may go away over time....

Erb’s palsy can be the basis for a birth injury lawsuit. Erb’s palsy is one kind of brachial plexus palsy. It is a paralysis of the arm caused by an injury to the brachial plexus, a network of nerves in the neck that leads to nerves in the arm. Erb’s palsy causes lack of motion...

If your child has suffered a birth injury due to the negligence of doctors or medical staff, you may be considering taking legal action to pursue fair compensation for medical expenses. Birth injuries can have a lasting impact on your child’s life and will likely require constant medical care. There are a number of important...

Parents of injured children often struggle with questions such as – Should I hire an attorney to pursue compensation in a birth injury claim? The answer depends on the extent and cause of the injury. An attorney can provide legal representation if a parent believes a doctor or hospital’s mistake caused a birth injury, such...