What Complications Can Occur During Childbirth?
Childbirth is the miracle of life. Having a baby is one of the most special experiences any parent could have. Normally, pregnancies and giving birth go smoothly without any problems, in most cases. However, there are some cases where complications could emerge during the childbirth process that might leave the child and/ or mother having to deal with the aftermath. If you are looking into starting a family or if you are already pregnant, you might want to familiarize yourself with any childbirth complications that might occur just so you can learn how they might be avoided or how to deal with their aftermath.
Fetal Distress
During particularly long childbirths, the baby might go through the condition of fetal distress where it has low oxygen levels or lower than normal heartbeat rates. This complication is quite dangerous and can lead to lifelong risks if not caught early by doctors before or even during the childbirth itself. This complication often occurs as a result of several underlying conditions with the mother including anemia or low amniotic fluid levels. In such cases, doctors would need to quickly make sure the mother is very well hydrated and positioned in a way that can reduce fetal distress noticeably. If the case is too severe during labor, the mother might even need to be oxygenated to ensure the safety of the fetus.
Erb’s Palsy
As the mother is in labor and pushing out her baby, wrongful delivery methods by doctors can cause severe nerve damage to the child which would cause a condition called Erb’s palsy. Understandably, there are several methods of delivering babies used by doctors in different cases of labor. However, one small mistake in the delivery choice can lead to severe medical conditions that include Erb’s palsy. As mentioned by these legal experts, some mothers might even need to sue the doctor delivering their baby if their medical decisions were the cause of this severe nerve condition. A doctor should know better than to make a delivery decision which would cause massive deterioration of the baby’s arm nerves.
Excessive Bleeding
One of the most common complications that women might face while giving birth is excessively bleeding right after the baby is out. It is normal for women to lose some blood after the delivery of the baby. However, if the bleeding is non-stop and flows heavily, then there might be a serious problem. Excessive bleeding can also be a result of underlying health conditions during the pregnancy itself that doctors need to monitor and be mindful of so that it does not turn into a dangerous risk.
Infections
The risk of contracting an infection during childbirth is among the complications that mothers can face along with their babies. Of course, if the place where the mother is giving birth is clean and equipped effectively for regular childbirths, the risk becomes much smaller. However, there are still rare possibilities of infection, making its way to the mother or fetus during childbirth. Infections vary in severity, but the key thing is catching them as early as possible when symptoms start showing up just to ensure they do not develop into something more dangerous and harder to maintain or treat.
Low Birth Weight
A relatively common complication of childbirth is having the baby born with a very small weight that can be of risk to their lives. A low birth weight baby is more prone to other health conditions if not treated quickly and cared for effectively. Having a low birth weight can be a result of malnutrition or smoking during pregnancy. The baby would need to be under the supervision of the doctors for some time in the hospital until they gain some weight or else, they would be at risk of more severe health problems.
Failure to Progress
This particular complication is one of the main reasons doctors sometimes resort to C-sections as a means of saving the baby and the mother at the last minute. Even if the mother had planned with the doctor to have a natural birth, having the failure to progress labor experience means a C-section is vital. Failure to progress in labor often occurs when the baby’s head is so large that the birth canal would not be wide enough to allow them out. It could also be a result of slow dilation or emotional distress.
Going into labor is one of the hardest things any mother has to endure. Childbirth can be scary, especially for first-time parents. To make matters easier, looking into any possible complications that can happen during childbirth and learning about their causes and how they can be avoided or treated can be quite helpful. This way, mothers would know exactly what to expect and that they can help themselves be less stressed and ready to take on childbirth like the champions they are. Remember to keep a list of all doctor’s recommendations and follow them for a healthy pregnancy and smooth childbirth.
