What Is Shoulder Dystocia?

A: Shoulder dystocia occurs when a baby’s shoulder becomes stuck in the birth canal due to the mother’s pubic bone, complicating delivery. This complication occurs in roughly one percent of births and is more common if the mother has diabetes, if the mother is obese, or if the baby has a large gestational weight.

Shoulder dystocia is managed by doctors with a number of procedures and maneuvers; however, about 20 percent of should dystocia cases end with injury to the infant while a similar number results in injuries to the mother. Birth injuries related to this complication range from bruising and lacerations to fractures and nerve damage to death.

The most common concern related to shoulder dystocia is brachial plexus nerve damage, which could lead to permanent issues with the sensory and motor function of the hand, arm, and shoulder.

While some cases of shoulder dystocia are handled correctly by doctors, some birth injuries related to the condition could have and should have been prevented. If your child was injured permanently during delivery due to shoulder dystocia and you believe negligence was involved, you should speak with a Dallas birth injury attorney today about your case. The Rasansky Law Firm offers the parents of birth injury victims a free, private, no-obligation consultation.