Improper Use of Vacuum Extractors

Birth injuries caused by the improper use of a vacuum extractor may result in medical malpractice lawsuits being filed by victims. Contact a birth injury attorney today.

Assisted birth instruments like vacuum extractors and forceps are often used in complicated births in which there is a breech delivery or the infant spends too much time in the birth canal. These devices are intended to be used to safely deliver the baby without causing any avoidable harm to the mother or child. Unfortunately, some doctors put babies at unnecessary risk by deciding to use a vacuum extractor when use of the instrument isn't entirely necessary. Improper use of a vacuum extractor can result in serious harm to the fetus, including causing life-altering birth injuries. If your child was harmed because of the improper use of a vacuum extractor during delivery, he may be entitled to lifetime care. Contact a birth injury attorney immediately to discuss your legal options.

Why are Vacuum Extractors Used?

In a vacuum extraction birth, the instrument is attached to the baby's head with a soft plastic or rubber cup, and the baby is pulled out of the mother during a contraction. Unfortunately, vacuum extractors can inflict a wide range of birth injuries on a child, and should only be used when necessary. The best way to prevent the use of a vacuum extractor during delivery is for the doctor to adequately evaluate all potential risk factors for a complication during birth. These may include:

• High or low birth weight
• Large fetal head size
• Short stature of mother
• Prolonged or difficult labor
• Small or abnormally shaped pelvis in mother

Birth Injuries Resulting from Improper Use of Vacuum Extractors

There are a number of situations in which use of a vacuum extractor is not advised and may even be dangerous. For example, if the baby is less than 34 weeks old, if the cervix is inadequately dilated, if the baby must be rotated or repositioned, or if there are signs of fetal distress, doctors are cautioned against the use of a vacuum extractor. Some of the birth injuries possibly resulting from the improper use of a vacuum extractor include:

• Intracranial hemorrhaging
• Bruises or abrasions on the scalp
• Skull fracture
• Shoulder and joint dislocation
• Facial nerve damage
• Brain damage

Birth Injury Attorneys for Medical Negligence

If a doctor uses a vacuum extractor improperly or chooses to use the device when an instrument-assisted delivery is ill-advised, the baby can suffer serious birth injuries and possibly even death. If you or a loved one has suffered from a serious birth injury resulting from the improper use of a vacuum extractor, contact a birth injury attorney immediately. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries, medical bills, and pain and suffering, which you can collect by filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against the allegedly negligent doctor, Ob/Gyn or hospital charged with your care. Pregnant mothers depend solely on the expertise and proper training of their doctors to ensure a safe delivery of their baby, and should not be held accountable for any adverse side effects caused by a medical error. With the help of a qualified birth injury lawyer, you can protect your legal rights and collect the compensation you deserve.