Birth injuries and birth defects are two different things. Birth injuries occur during childbirth, while birth defects occur before birth, when the baby is still in the womb. It is necessary to understand the difference between birth injuries and birth defects because the reasons, treatment, and legal consequences are very different.
Pittsburgh has several major hospitals and medical facilities that handle thousands of births every year. Families in Pittsburgh trust medical professionals to adhere to proper standards of care during pregnancy and childbirth. When there is a concern about childbirth, consulting a Pittsburgh attorney for birth injury can assist families in understanding whether a preventable error occurred.
Birth injuries and birth defects both impact a child’s lifetime health. However, the reason for birth injuries or birth defects determines whether the condition could have been prevented.
What Is a Birth Injury?
A birth injury can be defined as any kind of physical damage that may occur during the process of labor and delivery. Birth injuries are commonly associated with complications that may arise during the birthing process.
Examples of birth injuries include:
- Cerebral palsy due to a lack of oxygen
- Nerve damage, including brachial plexus injuries
- Skull fractures
- Shoulder dystocia injuries
- Bleeding in the brain
Some birth injuries occur even when the medical professional is doing everything right. However, some birth injuries may occur because of cesarean deliveries that are delayed, the improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors, or the failure to monitor fetal distress.
Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that birth injuries are commonly associated with events that occur during the birthing process. Some birth injuries may be prevented with proper medical care.
What Is a Birth Defect?
A birth defect occurs before birth. This happens while the baby is developing in the uterus.
Birth defects can be caused by:
- Genetic disorders
- Chromosomal problems
- Infections during pregnancy
- Use of certain drugs or substances
- Unknown causes
Some birth defects are structural. Examples include heart defects or cleft palate. Others are functional. They impact the way the body functions. Metabolic disorders are an example.
Most birth defects are not the result of medical malpractice. Birth defects can happen even when prenatal care is appropriate.
Why the Difference Matters
After childbirth complications are determined, parents look for trustworthy medical information. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), birth defects occur in 1 in 33 babies born each year in the United States.
Understanding the difference between birth defects and injuries is important in terms of treatment and liability. A condition that occurred because of a preventable medical error during childbirth may be the basis of a medical malpractice lawsuit.
If the condition occurred naturally during pregnancy, a lawsuit may not be applicable. Nevertheless, the family may require long-term medical care and early intervention.
It may take a lot of medical analysis to determine the cause of the condition. Specialists in pediatrics, neurology, and obstetrics may all be needed.
Key Takeaways
- Birth injuries occur during the process of labor or delivery.
- Birth defects occur before birth in the womb.
- Birth injuries can sometimes be prevented.
- Birth defects can be genetic or developmental in nature.
- Medical records play a very important role in determining the cause.
- Knowledge of the difference has important implications for treatment and litigation.
