Birth injuries and medical negligence in Scotland

Bringing a new life into the world is an amazing thing and, despite the obvious pain and discomfort, millions of mothers all over Scotland look back on the birth of their child as a wonderful event.

Some women, however, will forever remember the birth for different reasons and may be traumatised by it for the rest of their lives.

What we're talking about here is birth injuries and medical negligence, two dreadful things that, sadly, are inextricably linked and often result in personal injury compensation claims.

The lead up to a birth, especially for a first time mother, can be an extremely worrying time. It is for this reason that some mums-to-be are lucky enough to be looked after by the same midwife right through the pregnancy and up to the birth.

Having someone experienced and knowledgeable there to help you through nine months of stresses and strains can be enormously helpful and the fact that someone who knows your body so well is also likely to be at the birth can limit the chances of you suffering a birth injury.

Although such circumstances can reduce the chance of a problem at the birth, there is a very real risk that something can still go wrong. Midwives are well trained professionals who do a highly specialised job under tremendous pressure. Their sector of the health service is often branded as grossly underfunded and some blame the mistakes that happen and the medical negligence that sometimes occurs on this.

Whatever the reasons, the fact is that medical negligence does occur and women from Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dundee and from all over the rest of Scotland have suffered birth injuries as a result.

The main personal injuries that might occur during childbirth include:

Episiotomy
A large number of children are born by way of an episiotomy and most of the time there are no problems whatsoever. The procedure consists of making a surgical incision through the perineum in order to enlarge the vagina to help the delivery of the child and, if the cut is made incorrectly or is not sewn up properly, bleeding, infection or rectal problems are likely to occur.

Pre-eclampsia
This problem can occur during pregnancy and symptoms include extra protein in the urine, excessive weight gain, high blood pressure and severe headaches. If medical staff fail to spot pre-eclampsia then death and serious injury to both mother and baby are possible and a compensation claim for medical negligence could easily be made.

Fissures
Caused by excess pressure and over-stretching during the birth, fissures are painful tears around the anus. They feel similar to the pain caused by piles but are a serious issue and need medical attention if they occur.

Vaginal tears
The muscle and skin around the vagina are very fragile and can easily rip during childbirth if careful attention is not paid by midwives or doctors. This birth injury is obviously very painful and the chances of it occurring are increased if the baby is in a breech position or if its head is very large. Sometimes an episiotomy (see above) will be made to facilitate an easier birth.

Caesarean
Caesarean sections may be carried out if the mother elects to do so in advance. They are also often needed if the baby is in a breech position or is unable, for some reason or another, to be born in the usual way. The procedure, which is now fairly regular, consists of cutting open the mother's abdominal wall and uterus and quite literally lifting the baby out. If medical negligence exists and the Caesarean is not properly carried out and managed afterwards, there is a very real risk of excessive bleeding and uterine infections.

Make a medical negligence compensation claim today
The majority of Scottish midwives and birthing staff really do a fantastic job but a lack of funding and a very few negligent individuals mean that unnecessary birth injuries and birth accidents do occur.

If you've suffered as the result of medical negligence you could be in a position to make a personal injury compensation claim through YouClaim. Our panel of no win, no fee personal injury solicitors are specialists in this area of law and they've helped us to achieve a fantastic success rate on all the cases we pursue.

We never charge any of our customers a single penny to make a birth injury claim with us and you can even keep 100% of any compensation that is awarded.

So, whether you're from the Highlands or the Islands, Glasgow or Gretna, Aberdeen or Ayr, Edinburgh or Elgin, get in touch with YouClaim today to make a birth injury compensation claim with the medical negligence experts.

We're here 24 hours a day to help you so why not request a call back and we'll ring you whenever the best time for you is? You can also chat online to one of our compensation claim experts from the comfort of your own home, clearing up any initial queries you might have.

Alternatively, pick up the phone any time of the day or night and give us a call for free on 0800 10 757 95. We're the no win, no fee medical negligence compensation claim specialists and we're waiting to help you right now.