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Breech Presentation
Northern Kentucky and Ohio Malpractice Attorneys for Breech Presentation Birth Injuries
Breech presentation can result in serious complications during childbirth, especially if medical malpractice occurs. Healthcare providers are responsible for identifying a breech position and taking appropriate steps to protect you and your baby. At TLF: The Medical Injury Law Firm, we help families in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio pursue legal action when negligence leads to harm during breech births.
If your family has experienced harm due to medical negligence, including harm due to improper management of a breech presentation baby, our medical injury law firm can help. Call (800) 698-4054 or contact us online to discuss your case with a Northern Kentucky or Southwest Ohio medical malpractice attorney today.
What is Breech Presentation?
A breech presentation occurs during pregnancy when the baby’s head is positioned closer to the ribs while the baby’s feet point downward toward the birth canal. This differs from the typical head-down position most babies assume before a vaginal birth.
Although breech presentations can happen at any gestational age, they’re commonly discovered later in pregnancy and affect a smaller portion of expectant mothers. When your baby is breech, there can be added risks for serious neonatal morbidity, especially if the breech position goes undetected or is not handled properly during delivery.
When medical negligence during a breech birth causes you or your baby harm, a skilled labor and delivery malpractice lawyer at TLF can help you seek justice by holding the responsible parties accountable.
What Causes Breech Baby?
Several factors can contribute to a breech presentation in pregnancy, and identifying them early is essential for your baby’s safety. Common contributors include placenta previa, where the placenta blocks the birth canal, an abnormally shaped uterus or maternal pelvis, low amniotic fluid volume, or fetal anomalies that prevent the baby from moving into a head down position.
Other factors, such as having more than one fetus in the womb (carrying multiples), can contribute to breech positions. A prior cesarean delivery can also increase the likelihood of a breech baby in subsequent pregnancies. When doctors do not monitor these risks or properly assess the fetal position, it may constitute medical negligence.
How To Know if Baby is Breech
Identifying a breech-presenting fetus is essential for planning a safe delivery, and your doctor plays an essential role in this process. As your pregnancy reaches advancing gestational age, ultrasound imaging provides a way to confirm the baby’s position. Physical exams can also determine whether your baby’s legs or head is closest to the birth canal.
These diagnostic methods allow your doctor to recommend the safest option for delivery, whether that means a planned vaginal delivery or a planned cesarean delivery. Failing to identify a breech presentation in time can lead to birth complications that could have been avoided with early and careful monitoring.
Types of Breech Presentation
When a baby’s buttocks or feet are positioned closest to the birth canal instead of the head, the baby is classified as a breech fetus. Babies in this position can assume several configurations, and understanding these breech presentations helps clarify potential risks and inform medical decisions regarding labor and delivery.
Frank Breech
Frank breech presentation occurs when the fetal buttocks are positioned closest to the birth canal, with the legs extended upward toward the fetal head.
The fetal hips are flexed in this position, and the knees remain straight, creating a V-like shape. This is the most common type of breech presentation and may sometimes allow for a vaginal breech birth, depending on factors such as the estimated fetal weight and the baby’s overall health.
Proper monitoring of a frank breech presentation is essential to determine the safest delivery method and minimize risks for both the baby and the mother.
Complete Breech
Complete breech occurs when a baby’s fetal buttocks are positioned toward the birth canal, with both the fetal hips and knees bent. In this breech position, the baby appears as though sitting cross-legged, with the feet tucked close to the body.
This configuration can make attempting vaginal delivery more challenging, as the baby’s positioning may increase the risk of complications during birth, including injury to the fetal neck and head. Careful monitoring and medical assessment are necessary to evaluate whether a vaginal delivery is safe or if a cesarean delivery is a better option to protect the health of the baby and the mother.
Footling Breech
An incomplete or footling breech occurs when one or both of the baby’s feet are positioned to deliver first through the birth canal rather than the head. An incomplete breech can increase the risk of complications, such as umbilical cord prolapse, because the feet create space that may allow the umbilical cord to slip into the birth canal before the baby is delivered.
The footling breech is more common in preterm births or pregnancies with certain conditions, such as low amniotic fluid volume or an abnormally shaped uterus. In most cases, a planned cesarean birth is recommended to reduce the risks associated with this breech position.
Kneeling Breech
A kneeling breech is a rare type of breech position where the baby’s knees are bent and the fetal hips are extended, creating a posture that resembles kneeling. In this position, the knees are closest to the birth canal, while the fetal head and torso remain higher in the uterus.
Due to the unusual nature of this breech presentation, it can present serious challenges during delivery, including umbilical cord compression and fetal body injuries such as birth asphyxia. A planned cesarean delivery is typically recommended to ensure a safer outcome.
What Percentage of Babies are Breech?
According to the Birth Injury Help Center, breech presentations occur in around 5% of full-term pregnancies or approximately 1 in 25 babies. Frank breech is the most common type among full-term breech pregnancies, accounting for 50-70% of all cases. However, the occurrence of breech fetuses is significantly higher in preterm pregnancies, as early gestational stages often leave more room for the baby to settle into less typical positions.
Management and Delivery Options for Breech Presentation
When a baby is in a breech position, deciding how to proceed with delivery depends on several factors, including the baby’s health, size, positioning, and the mother’s medical history. Doctors must explore various approaches to manage breech presentations, from repositioning the baby to determining the safest method of delivery.
External Cephalic Version (ECV)
External Cephalic Version (ECV) is a procedure used to turn a baby from a breech position to a head-down position before labor begins. It is typically performed late in pregnancy, around 36 to 37 weeks, when the baby is big enough to stay in the new position but not too close to delivery.
During ECV, a doctor applies gentle pressure on the mother’s abdomen to guide the baby into the desired position. While the procedure can reduce the need for a cesarean delivery and increase the chance of a vaginal birth, it is not without risks. These may include temporary changes in the baby’s heart rate, placental abruption, or preterm labor.
Cesarean Section (C-Section)
Cesarean deliveries are often suggested for breech presentation, especially when complications like low amniotic fluid or a small maternal pelvis could increase labor risks. A higher cesarean delivery rate in these cases helps lower the risk of serious outcomes regarding perinatal morbidity.
Failing to recommend or perform a C-section when necessary may lead to preventable birth injuries or perinatal mortality. Families dealing with the consequences of this kind of medical negligence can speak with a failure to perform C-section attorney at our firm to learn about possible legal options.
Vaginal Breech Delivery
Planned vaginal breech deliveries may be an option in certain cases when the baby’s position and size, as well as the mother’s health, make it possible to safely attempt a vaginal delivery. A planned vaginal birth requires experienced medical teams, constant electronic fetal monitoring, and a well-prepared delivery room.
During this assisted breech delivery, proper techniques are essential to assist with fetal head flexion and safely manage the shoulders and hips as the baby passes through the birth canal. However, breech vaginal deliveries can result in serious birth injuries if not managed correctly.
Breech Presentation Complications
A breech baby can suffer birth injuries caused by factors such as umbilical cord prolapse or ongoing fetal distress. Mothers may face risks like uterine rupture, hemorrhage, or complications that could affect future pregnancies.
Many of these problems occur when healthcare providers do not adequately monitor the fetus, perform necessary interventions, or recommend the safest delivery method.
What Happens When Medical Negligence Occurs With Breech Presentation?
When medical negligence occurs during a breech pregnancy, it can lead to preventable birth injuries that impact the baby and the mother.
Examples of negligence include failing to detect that the baby is breech during prenatal care, mishandling an external cephalic version (ECV), delaying or refusing to perform a necessary C-section, and inadequate monitoring during labor and delivery. Without proper care, a breech presentation can result in significant birth trauma.
Many breech birth injuries are avoidable with appropriate medical attention, which highlights the importance of legal accountability in medical cases where negligence causes harm.
Common Birth Injuries Linked to Breech Presentation
- Cerebral Palsy: Cerebral palsy can occur when the breech baby experiences a lack of oxygen during delivery, often due to issues like prolonged labor or umbilical cord prolapse in a vaginal breech delivery. This condition affects muscle coordination, motor skills, and sometimes cognitive development, leading to lifelong challenges for the child and significant emotional and financial stress for families.
- Brachial Plexus Injuries (Erb’s Palsy): A brachial plexus injury is a general term for birth injuries that affect the brachial plexus nerves. It is more commonly known as Erb’s palsy or Klumpke’s palsy. This injury happens when the nerves in the baby’s shoulder are stretched or torn during delivery. Brachial plexus injuries can result in limited or no movement in one arm. Families may face the burden of ongoing medical care and uncertainty about the child’s long-term mobility.
- Skull Fractures or Brain Trauma: Improper handling of the fetal head during a breech delivery can lead to skull fractures or brain trauma. These injuries may cause developmental delays, cognitive impairments, or other neurological issues. Parents may need to adjust their lives to provide specialized care, adding emotional and financial strain.
- Shoulder Dystocia: Shoulder dystocia occurs when the baby’s shoulder gets stuck during delivery, which can happen more frequently in a vaginal breech birth. This can lead to injuries like fractures, nerve damage, or oxygen deprivation, causing long-term complications for the child. The vaginal breech delivery process may also result in physical trauma for the mother, affecting her recovery and future pregnancies.
- Stillbirth: In severe cases, improper medical care during a breech delivery can result in stillbirth. This devastating outcome leaves families grieving the loss of their child while also struggling with questions about whether the tragedy could have been prevented with better medical care.
Can You File a Birth Injury Lawsuit for Breech Delivery Complications?
Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider fails to meet the standard of care expected in their profession, resulting in harm to a patient. In the context of breech presentation births, this can include not detecting the baby’s position beforehand, mishandling a breech delivery, or failing to perform a necessary cesarean delivery.
Proving malpractice requires showing that the physician owed a duty of care, that there was a breach of that duty through negligence, and that this breach directly caused the injury and resulting damages.
If these factors can be proven, families may seek compensation for medical expenses, ongoing care, pain and suffering, and lost wages due to the child’s condition. A medical breach of duty attorney can help families understand their legal options and pursue justice for the harm caused.
How TLF: The Medical Injury Law Firm Can Help
At TLF, our experienced birth injury lawyers in Cincinnati and Covington are here to help you prove medical negligence and get the answers your family deserves.
We start by carefully reviewing medical records, including details from prenatal care and delivery, to find signs of physician malpractice, such as failing to recognize a breech presentation, delaying a necessary C-section, or mishandling a vaginal breech birth. Along the way, we work closely with medical experts who can explain how the care you received fell below accepted standards and how hospital mistakes led to your child’s birth injury. We also gather evidence, like witness statements and hospital records, to build a strong case.
By showing how a healthcare provider’s actions caused harm to you or your breech baby, we aim to hold them responsible and help your family get the compensation you need to move forward.
Call a Breech Presentation Birth Injury Lawyer at TLF Today for a Free Consultation
If your family has been affected by medical negligence in a breech presentation pregnancy, TLF: The Medical Injury Law Firm is here to help. With offices in Cincinnati and Covington, we proudly serve families throughout Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky, offering compassionate legal support when breech babies experience preventable injuries due to improper medical care.
Our experienced legal team is ready to listen to your story, fight for justice, and help you seek the compensation your family deserves. Call (800) 698-4054 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation today.
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