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What Is Shoulder Dystocia and How Does It Happen?

Shoulder dystocia occurs when your baby's head passes through the birth canal, but one or both shoulders become stuck behind your mother's pubic bone. This medical emergency requires immediate action to safely deliver your baby and prevent serious birth injury.

The Birth Process During Shoulder Dystocia

During a normal delivery, once the baby's head emerges, the shoulders typically follow easily. However, when shoulder dystocia happens, the anterior shoulder (front shoulder) becomes lodged against the mother's pubic bone, while the posterior shoulder may be trapped above the mother's pelvis.

This creates a dangerous situation where your baby cannot breathe and the umbilical cord may become compressed, cutting off oxygen supply to the brain. Medical professionals must recognize the "turtle sign" (when the baby's head appears to retract back against the mother's perineum) and immediately implement accepted standard emergency procedures.

Most Common Causes of Shoulder Dystocia

Large babies (fetal macrosomia) over 8 pounds, 13 ounces face a higher risk of shoulder dystocia during delivery. A mother's diabetes or gestational diabetes can cause babies to grow larger than normal, increasing complications. Previous shoulder dystocia cases significantly raise the risk for future pregnancies requiring careful monitoring.

When the mother's pelvis is smaller than average, even normal-sized babies may experience shoulder dystocia. Prolonged labor or the improper use of birth-assisting tools like forceps or vacuum extractors can contribute to this medical emergency.

Types of Shoulder Dystocia Cases We Handle

When medical negligence during delivery causes your baby to suffer shoulder dystocia injury, our Pittsburgh birth injury attorneys hold responsible medical professionals accountable for the lifelong consequences their errors create.

Common birth injury cases involving shoulder dystocia:

• Brachial plexus injury: Nerve damage affecting your baby's arm, shoulder, and hand movement when doctors use excessive force during shoulder dystocia.

• Erb's palsy: Weakness or paralysis in the baby's arm from brachial plexus nerve damage during a difficult delivery.

• Oxygen deprivation: Brain damage from prolonged shoulder dystocia when the birth canal compresses the umbilical cord.
  

• Fractured bones: Broken collarbone or arm bones from improper use of force during shoulder dystocia emergency.
  

• Cerebral palsy: Permanent brain injury from lack of oxygen during delivery when shoulder dystocia is mismanaged.
  

• Facial nerve damage: Paralysis affecting your baby's ability to move facial muscles from birth, assisting tools misuse.
  

• Wrongful death: Tragic loss of life when medical professionals fail to respond appropriately to shoulder dystocia.
  

• Delayed c-section: Emergency cesarean performed too late, causing preventable birth complications.
  

Medical Negligence That Causes Shoulder Dystocia Injuries

Most shoulder dystocia cases can be managed safely without injury when medical professionals follow proper protocols. However, when doctors and nurses fail to meet accepted standards of medical care, the consequences devastate families.

Failure to Identify Risk Factors

Medical professionals should assess risk factors during pregnancy and labor that increase the likelihood of shoulder dystocia. These include large baby size, maternal diabetes, previous shoulder dystocia, prolonged labor, and the mother's pelvic measurements. When doctors fail to recognize these warning signs, they cannot prepare for potential complications.

Improper Response to Medical Emergency

Once shoulder dystocia is identified, doctors must immediately implement the HELPERR protocol: Help (call for assistance), Evaluate for episiotomy, Legs (McRoberts position), Pressure (suprapubic), Enter maneuvers (internal rotation), Remove posterior arm, and Roll the patient. Failure to follow these accepted procedures can cause severe injury.

Excessive Force During Delivery

When shoulder dystocia occurs, applying excessive traction to the baby's head or using birth assisting tools improperly can cause permanent brachial plexus injury. Medical professionals must use gentle, controlled movements rather than forceful pulling, which can stretch and tear the delicate nerves controlling your baby's arm and hand function.

Delayed Emergency Interventions

Time is critical during shoulder dystocia. When conservative maneuvers fail, doctors may need to perform emergency procedures like controlled fracture of the baby's clavicle or emergency C-section. Delays in making these difficult decisions can lead to oxygen deprivation and permanent brain damage.

What to Do After Your Baby's Shoulder Dystocia Injury

Learning that shoulder dystocia caused your baby's injury is devastating, especially when you suspect medical negligence played a role. Taking proper steps protects both your child's health and your legal rights to pursue compensation.

Essential actions after birth injury diagnosis:

• Arrange specialist evaluations: Schedule appointments with pediatric neurologists and orthopedic doctors who can assess the full extent of brachial plexus damage and create comprehensive treatment plans.

• Secure medical documentation: Obtain complete hospital records, including prenatal visits, labor notes, delivery reports, fetal monitoring data, and all post-birth medical assessments related to your child's injury.
  

• Monitor your child's development: Create detailed logs documenting physical limitations, missed developmental milestones, therapy progress, and how the shoulder dystocia injury affects your child's daily activities.

• Guard against liability discussions: Decline to sign hospital releases or insurance forms and avoid discussing fault or responsibility with medical staff without experienced legal counsel protecting your interests.

• Engage birth injury attorneys: Pennsylvania's medical malpractice statutes impose specific filing deadlines, making prompt consultation with qualified Pittsburgh shoulder dystocia lawyers essential for preserving your claim.

• Continue prescribed care: Maintain all recommended physical therapy, occupational therapy, and medical treatments while pursuing legal action, as consistent care improves outcomes and documents ongoing injury costs.

Pennsylvania Laws Governing Shoulder Dystocia Cases

Pennsylvania medical malpractice laws have specific requirements that families must follow when pursuing compensation for shoulder dystocia birth injuries.

Certificate of Merit Requirement

State law mandates that a practicing physician in the relevant medical field must examine your case and provide written confirmation that medical negligence likely occurred. This healthcare professional must verify that standard shoulder dystocia protocols were not followed, causing preventable harm to your child.

Statute of Limitations for Children

Pennsylvania gives parents until their child reaches age 20 to initiate medical malpractice litigation for shoulder dystocia injuries. This extended timeframe recognizes that some birth complications may not fully manifest until later in childhood, allowing families time to assess the complete scope of their child's condition. It is advised that you contact an experienced birth injury medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible once you suspect that harm was caused to your baby during the birthing process.

Compensation Available for Shoulder Dystocia Victims

Our birth injury lawyers fight for complete financial recovery covering your child's lifetime needs when medical negligence causes shoulder dystocia injuries.