Do Caesarean Sections Cause Birth Injuries?

June 15, 2011

For many people, there is a widely held belief that Caesarean-section (C-section) surgeries to deliver babies can be harmful to the infant, often causing birth injuries. Some women prefer to deliver a child vaginally, but are unable to do so because of unexpected complications, existing health problems or because the mother is past the projected due date.

A recent study by Dr. Christopher Glantz, a professor of obstetrics at The University of Rochester in New York reveals that c-sections may not be as dangerous to the child as many think. In a comprehensive study covering 10 upstate New York community hospitals, including the birth records of nearly 30,000 patients, Dr. Glantz compared statistics between hospitals where c-sections were heavily favored and performed versus hospitals where the procedures were performed much less often.

The study measured neonatal outcomes by looking at three factors: 1) if a child required treatment in an intensive care unit or intensive care hospital; 2) if the child required immediate assistance breathing with a ventilator; and 3) if a child received a low Apgar score -- performed on virtually every baby born in the United States, the Apgar tests measure 5 criteria to determine if an infant is healthy: skin color or complexion, pulse, reflex irritability, muscle tone and breathing.

At the conclusion of his study, Dr Glantz found no difference in the neonatal outcomes for babies born in hospitals with high rates of performing Caesarean-section surgeries and hospitals where c-sections were performed at a lower rate.

While the study shows that c-sections may not lead to more birth injuries than vaginal birth, injuries may still occur. Birth injuries can have life-long consequences that require expensive medical care. Speak with an experienced medical malpractice attorney about seeking compensation to help with future costs.

Article provided by The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, PC
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