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When a mother suffers from gestational diabetes she may be more at risk of a complicated birth, which could give rise to a brachial plexus injury in the child, and it is important medical staff take full precautions to guard against this possibility.
The majority of babies born with shoulder dystocia or brachial plexus problems are larger than average, known technically as macrososmic if weighing more than 9lb 15oz, and one of the causes of this unusual weight gain is gestational diabetes.
Prolonged natural labour, i.e. more than 20 minutes with the head fully engaged, increases the risk of birth injury occurring and it is in this period when doctors and midwives will use various methods to hasten the delivery.
This can include the use of forceps, vacuum extractors, and manual methods to manoeuvre the baby's head and shoulders out of the birth canal and this is the critical time when the brachial plexus nerves can be damaged.
Most brachial injuries will heal themselves spontaneously within a few months and the limpness of the arm will disappear but scar tissue can form, leading to a muscular disability, also known as Erb's palsy or Klupke's palsy. If major damage has been done to the shoulder nerves, surgery can greatly improve the condition if it is carried out soon after the birth.
When labour is induced through drugs to speed up delivery, this may lead to the foetus descending awkwardly into the birth canal and becoming stuck behind the mother's pelvis. In this situation and when there is a breech birth, there is greater risk of dystocia occurring.
Mothers with a previous pregnancy which has resulted in a dystocia are also more likely to have a subsequent child with the condition.
Most shoulder dystocia injuries are preventable. A mother with gestational diabetes should be particularly careful with her diet and check her blood-sugar readings to keep the weight of herself and the unborn baby at a safe level.
At antenatal checks, the obstetrician in charge of a mother whose child may be a potential victim of brachial plexus injury should discuss the chance of complications in the delivery and give advice on whether a caesarean section would be more appropriate than a natural delivery.
Making a compensation claim for brachial plexus injury
When a parent and baby have suffered pain, distress and potentially life-changing disabilities as a result of the actions or neglect of a medical professional, a call to one of YouClaim's personal injury solicitors could help if a compensation claim over brachial plexus injury is being considered.
If during a natural delivery medical intervention is too slow or inappropriate, resulting in suffering to the mother or a birth injury to the child, there may be grounds for a damages claim and YouClaim's experts can advise and represent on such a claim.
You can be assured that all expenses will be kept to a minimum and, with the no win no fee system used by our UK-wide panel, 100% of all compensation awarded will go straight to the claimant without deduction.
All our lawyers are supervised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority so you also can be guaranteed of their professional standards which are allied to a sensitive and helpful approach with everything being explained in easy-to-understand terms.
Don't delay in consulting YouClaim if you feel your child has been disabled through a brachial plexus injury during birth. Call us now on 0800 10 957 75
