Can Forceps Use Cause Cerebral Palsy?
Forceps are metal tools that doctors sometimes use during vaginal birth to help guide a baby out when labor is not progressing normally. They look like large spoons that fit around the baby’s head. While forceps can save time in tough deliveries, they carry risks if not used carefully.
Doctors might choose forceps if the baby is stuck low in the birth canal but not moving despite the mother’s pushing. They also use them when the baby’s heart rate drops and quick delivery is needed, or if the mother is too tired to push or has health issues like heart problems. In cases of twins or premature babies, forceps can help too.
The main worry with forceps is injury to the baby. The pressure from the tools can cause bruising on the face or scalp, small cuts, or even temporary facial nerve damage that makes one side of the face weak. In rarer cases, too much force leads to skull fractures or bleeding inside the skull, called intracranial hemorrhage. This bleeding can swell the brain and cause problems like seizures or trouble breathing and feeding.
These injuries might cut off oxygen to the brain, a condition known as hypoxia or birth asphyxia. Lack of oxygen can damage brain cells, leading to issues like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE. HIE often shows up as seizures, poor muscle control, or developmental delays in babies.
Cerebral palsy is a group of lifelong conditions that affect movement, balance, and posture because of brain damage early in life. It can include seizures, learning challenges, and trouble with speech or swallowing. Forceps use links to cerebral palsy when it causes brain bleeds, skull breaks, or oxygen loss that harms the brain.
For example, if forceps press too hard during a long labor, they might trigger bleeding around the brain or stop blood flow briefly. Prolonged labor itself raises risks because it can starve the baby of oxygen, and forceps are often used then. Mistakes like using too much force or not monitoring the baby’s heart rate properly make things worse.
Not every forceps delivery causes harm. Many babies come through fine with no lasting effects. But when problems happen, they stem from things like excessive pressure, poor training, or ignoring warning signs. Nerve damage from forceps might affect the face or shoulder, but brain injuries are the ones tied closest to cerebral palsy.
Birth teams must know when forceps are safe and when to switch to a cesarean section instead. Proper training helps avoid turning a helpful tool into a source of injury.
Sources
https://www.cerebralpalsyhub.com/birth-injury/forceps-delivery-complications/
https://www.bila.ca/prolonged-labour-effects-on-baby/
https://www.dko-law.com/blog/can-birth-injuries-cause-autism-or-adhd/
https://www.nationalbirthinjurylaw.com/what-causes-cerebral-palsy
https://www.childbirthinjuries.com/blog/prolonged-labor-effects-on-baby-complications/
https://fosters-solicitors.co.uk/insight/cerebral-palsy-medical-negligence
https://themdjd.com/orlando-medical-malpractice-attorney/birth-injuries/forceps-injuries/
https://www.sokolovelaw.com/birth-injuries/causes/
https://www.grossmanjustice.com/new-jersey-cerebral-palsy-lawyer/
