Bringing a child into this world may cause parents to feel a range of emotions, from excitement and joy to anxiety and fear. Soon-to-be parents may do everything imaginable to plan for the delivery, from learning breathing techniques to planning for how pain will be managed.
While expectant parents understand that a number of things can go wrong during labor and delivery, the health risks to the mother are not always taken into consideration. Childbirth injuries to mothers have been on the rise in recent years, ranging from minor to life-threatening injuries.
Our Harrisburg, PA, birth injury attorneys are dedicated to helping mothers who have experienced injuries during childbirth recover just compensation.
Types of Childbirth Injuries to the Mother
Childbirth is a traumatic experience for a mother’s body. Common childbirth injuries to the mother include:
Vaginal Tearing
When an infant’s head is too large for the vaginal opening, vaginal tearing is likely to occur. Also called perineal lacerations, these tears may range from first-degree lacerations (most mild) to fourth-degree lacerations (most severe). Whereas mild tears may heal independently, severe lacerations may require surgical intervention.
Pelvic Floor Muscle Damage
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that is responsible for holding the uterus, bladder, and bowels in place. During delivery, the levator ani muscle, which holds the pelvic floor closed and supports the pelvic floor organs, must stretch from 1.5 to more than three times its original length.
While it is more typical when delivering your first child, pelvic floor damage is associated with difficult vaginal deliveries. Each year, damage to the pelvic floor muscles occurs in 13 to 41 percent of women who deliver vaginally. Pelvic floor dysfunction can cause lifelong struggles, including difficulty having bowel movements, urinary incontinence, and painful intercourse.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Your pelvic floor acts as a supportive sling that keeps your uterus, vagina, bladder, and rectum in place. If your pelvic floor is weakened, your organs may prolapse or drop out of position. Symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse may involve a bulge or feeling of fullness in your vagina or pelvis, pain in your lower back, and pressure that worsens if you cough.
Given the amount of pressure placed on your pelvic floor in childbirth, pelvic organ prolapse is often seen in women who have given natural birth. The most common type of pelvic organ prolapse is an anterior vaginal wall prolapse or a dropped bladder.
Representing Mothers Injured During Childbirth
Physicians owe patients a duty to meet the expected standard of care when various medical situations arise. As an expectant mother, you trust your physician to protect you from harm. Many birth injuries to the mother are completely preventable, typically caused by a physician’s oversight.
Our Harrisburg, PA, birth injury attorneys are dedicated to seeking justice for mothers who have suffered an injury during labor and/or delivery. If you believe a physician was negligent in your care, our legal team is ready to assist you with your malpractice claim.
Contact Our Harrisburg Birth Injuries to the Mother Attorneys Now
If you or a loved one have been injured due to an obstetrician’s or other medical provider’s negligence, our medical malpractice lawyers want to hear from you. To schedule a meeting with a Harrisburg, PA, birth injury lawyer contact us online by completing our online intake form.