Understanding Birth Complications and Differentiating Between Tough Luck and Malpractice

Incorrect delivery technique can lead to fetal birth trauma. However, sometimes – despite proper technique and care – fetal birth injuries occur. As I was taught as an intern, “Mal-occurrences don’t always mean Mal-practice“. Does that rule hold true for fetal clavicular fracture? What about Erb’s palsy found at birth? Can these issues occur as part of normal labor and delivery? And at time of cesarean section, does meticulous surgical technique always prevent immediate postop bleeding complications? In this episode, we’re going to review the data on 3 perinatal adverse events that may occur despite proper care: clavicular fracture, Erb’s palsy, and post-operative, rectus sheath bleeding/hematoma.