By definition, "Birth Trauma" can involve any part or portion of the mothers or the childs body, including any organs or limbs. The more severe forms of Birth Trauma usually involve injury to the brain and/or the nervous system. The brain requires a large amount of oxygen to survive and to function and is the primary center for regulating and coordinating all body activities. The transmission of oxygen to the brain from the respiratory system is crucial to maintenance of the brain and support of its vital functions. Birth Trauma can result from mechanical injury, such as the improper application of obstetrical forceps to a baby's head during the birth process. Severe, moderate or mild damage to the brain caused by low oxygen supply (hypoxia or anoxia) during labor may cause permanent injury and a variety of neurological problems.

The incidence of Birth Trauma that causes lasting injury to babies has been estimated at 2 to 7 per 1,000 live births, or roughly 0.5%. Factors which predispose the infant to Birth Trauma include an abnormally large body, a disproportionately large head, a difficult labor, prolonged labor, and the presentation of the buttocks (breech birth) instead of the head in childbirth. Overall, 5 to 8 newborn infants per 100,000 die of mechanical injury, while about 25 per 100,000 die of hypoxic injuries.

Mechanical trauma involves some physical insult to the body of the infant. The most devastating traumatic birth injuries involve deforming or fracturing the skull, resulting in hemorrhages in or around the brain. Common mechanical causes of brain injury include the improper use of obstetrical forceps, vacuum extractors, and other instruments, allowing abnormal labor to continue for too long, and use of excessive force to push on the uterus or pull on the baby. Another type of mechanical injury results when the nerves of the brachial plexus are stretched or torn by the obstetrician's use of excessive force, causing either partial or total paralysis of the baby's arm. Such paralysis may be either temporary or lifelong and may be improved by later surgery.
Certain maternal, placental and fetal conditions can interfere with normal blood and oxygen flow to the brain of a fetus or a newborn baby. Non-mechanical causes of neonatal brain damage usually involve interference with the transport of oxygen from the mother's lungs to the fetal brain. Such factors include maternal conditions (such as eclampsia), placental (as premature separation from the uterus), umbilical (knotted umbilical cord), hemorrhagic (fetal or maternal bleeding), infectious (chorioamnionitis), and fetal (heart abnormalities). After a baby is born, various conditions can indicate that hypoxic injury occurred while he or she was in the uterus: low APGAR scores, abnormal cord blood gases, seizures, jitteriness, low blood sugar, damage to the heart, liver or kidneys, cessation of breathing, neonatal infection and hydrocephalus ("water on the brain").

Birth Trauma can occur in the absence of negligent care, or such injury may be caused by physician or nursing malpractice, or both. Malpractice is a form of negligence and involves the failure to do what a reasonable health care professional would do, under the same or similar circumstances. Unfortunately, malpractice is one of the common causes of Birth Trauma. Nurses and obstetricians often fail to recognize abnormal signs and symptoms in their pregnant patients, interpret electronic fetal monitor records incorrectly, or act too slowly to correct dangerous conditions and protect their patients. Sometimes, a nurse will be asleep when she should be providing patient care, or an obstetrician refuses to come to the hospital when she or he should.

Occasionally, evidence of Birth Trauma is apparent immediately after birth, and the clinical condition of the newborn baby is so severe that professionals or parents will recognize the problem at once. Unfortunately, there is little that can be done to treat brain damage and other organ damage or their long-term effects. In other cases, the occurrence of Birth Trauma may not be discovered by the baby's parents or attending pediatrician, until the child suffers developmental delay. For example, a child with brain damage who fails to walk at the usual age (milestone) may be showing evidence of cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is a group of lifelong abnormalities of movement that may be caused by hypoxia, mechanical head injury, and a variety of other conditions. Many children with cerebral palsy are of normal or high intelligence; normal minds trapped in crippled bodies. Others are mentally retarded or suffer from seizures and other neurological conditions. Sometimes only their legs are affected, but sometimes both the arms and legs are weak and uncoordinated. When cerebral palsy is diagnosed, sophisticated testing can often determine the cause and whether or not any health care provider has been at fault. Often, physical therapy and surgery can improve the mobility of a child with cerebral palsy, but such treatment can be very expensive.

When parents determine that their child is not developing properly, they must seek the help of pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, and other physicians to discover why the normal pattern of development is delayed. Parents are sometimes told by a physician that their child's abnormal development or behaviors began during the birth process but were unavoidable. But careful review of the medical records may alert the parents to occurrences and omissions during labor and delivery, which caused the brain damage. Under these circumstances, the injured child and his family are entitled to compensation for the injuries that they have suffered and will suffer in the future. Sometimes, extensive medical care and custodial care will be needed. The potential of the child to take care of himself and to earn a living must be assessed and adequate supplemental resources provided.

Birth Trauma Links
American Academy for Cerebral Palsy - www.aacpdm.org/
Multidisciplinary scientific society that promotes education and management of conditions. Includes news and a comprehensive research library.

Birth Disorder Information Directory - www.bdid.com/
Here you will find information on different birth disorders as well as a bookstore, medical term dictionary, and children's websites telling their stories.

Birth Psychology - http://www.birthpsychology.com/
This site provides information on life before birth, birth traumas & resolutions, as well as literature in birth psychology.

Cerebral Institute of Discovery - www.cerebral.org/
Research Institute seeks to help those with cerebral palsy. Features neurological links, product information and research resources.

Dallas United Cerebral Palsy - www.ucpdallas.org/
Lists cerebral palsy association affiliates, discussion groups, press releases, local information, events calendar and supported employment.

Gentle Birth - www.gentlebirth.org/archives/brtrauma.html
A collection of information about all aspects of pregnancy, birth, and well woman care. Several links including articles, resource pages, and a question and answer section.

Glossary of genetic disorders and birth defects - aspin.asu.edu/geneinfo/glossary.htm
Definitions of words used to describe genetic disorders and birth defects.

Infinitec - www.infinitec.org/
Corporation created by the United Cerebral Palsy Association that brings assistive technology to people with disabilities of all types at a reduced cost. Includes an extensive resource guide.

Medical Definitions - www.boehmbdc.com/definitions.htm
The Walter E Boehm Birth Defects Center provides support as well asn information services to patients with spina bifida and hydrocephalus and their families.

NDSA - National Disability Sports Alliance - www.ndsaonline.org/
Provides quality sports programs for individuals with cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and stroke survivors. Includes camps and a calendar of events.

Parents Place - www.parentsplace.com/
Find web pages on many parental topics including fertility, pregnancy, infants, toddlers, adoption, health, and mothering.

Peristats - peristats.modimes.org/
Collection of data on newborn baby health is organized by state and county. Learn about birth and mortality rates, or compare statistics from different areas.

Pregnancy Today - Definitions - pregnancytoday.com/resource/definitions/teratogens.htm
Pregnancy Today definitions: What does the term 'Teratogens' mean?

Rainbowbody - www.rainbowbody.net/traumalink.htm
Wholistic website that offers links and articles to trauma studies, child development, and wholistic body/mind integrative practices.

UCP Net - www.ucpa.org/
This cerebral palsy association provides education and research services to people with disabilities, their families, the public and other organizations. Find programs such as therapy, assistive technology training, social/recreational, community living and employment.

United Cerebral Palsy of Colorado - http://www.cpco.org/
Support group that explains the causes, effects and types of cerebral palsy, and offers programs and services.

United Cerebral Palsy of New York - www.ucpnyc.org/
Advises about helpful technology options, hosts a bulletin board and a chat room, and offers programs for adults and families.

University of Washington - School of Medicine - Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit - http://depts.washington.edu/fadu/
Psychiatry department offers a collection of projects on the disorder known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The site contains news, publications, international list of support groups, list of international FAS conferences as they come up, and provides many other resources.

Birth Trauma Publications

Amethyst Resource for Human Development Pre and Perinatal Psychotherapy - http://www.holistic.ie/amethyst/document2.htm
A Brief History of the Theory of Birth Trauma in Adults and Childrenby Shirley A Ward

Birth Psychology dot com - http://www.birthpsychology.com/healing/
Birth Trauma is Real! by David B. Chamberlain, Ph.D.

Cesarean Voices - http://www.eheart.com/cesarean/emerson.html
Treating Cesarean Birth Trauma During Infancy and Childhoodby William Emerson, PhD

Heart Centered Therapies - http://www.heartcenteredtherapies.org/public_documents/Birth%20Trauma%20and%20Maternal%20Rejection.html
The High Cost of Birth Trauma and Maternal RejectionBy Diane Zimberoff, MFCC and David Hartman, MSW

The Merck Manual - http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/section19/chapter260/260f.htm
Discusses Head Trauma, brachial plexus injuries, and various other factors that can contribute to Birth Trauma.

Osteopathic Center for Children - http://www.osteopathiccenter.org/birthtrauma.html
Birth Trauma: The Most Common Cause of Developmental Delaysby Viola Frymann, D.O., F.A.A.O., F.C.A.

Osteopathic Home Page - http://www.osteohome.com/SubPages/brthtrm.html
Article that includes various checkpoints for signs of birth trauma.

Stanford Medicine Magazine - http://mednews.stanford.edu/stanmed/2003winter/eritrea.html
Healing Birthing Trauma Stanford Gynecologists Lead Surgical Mission to Eritreaby Rosanne Spector

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