Fetal lacerations are injuries that occur during a birth or C-section. During birth, the childbirth procedure is not carried out properly by a medical professional. The lacerations consist of cuts and bruises that have formed on the skin. This damage is caused by forceps and other tools that doctors used to carry out the delivery. There are different types of fetal laceration symptoms that occur during childbirth.
Bone Fractures
Bone fractures are severe symptoms of fetal lacerations. In babies, bone fractures are particularly severe because the bones usually take long periods of time to heal. In children, not all fractured bones grow properly. Fractures are common in children, and more common in boys, but the problems are preventable.
Viral or Bacterial Infections
Group B strep infection (GBS) is a common type of infection that affects thousands of babies born in the U.S. Not every baby at risk for infection is known to contract a virus or bacteria. GBS is one type that resides in the mother’s vagina or rectum. Before delivery, doctors can reduce the chances of the baby contracting an infection. In some deliveries, the baby receives a laceration, passes through the woman’s body and contracts a virus through the laceration. In these cases, the contraction is not easily preventable.
Fetal laceration symptoms can include viral or bacterial infections in babies. The doctors must close the open wounds immediately and treat the children with oral antibiotics. They should receive the medicine for one to several months after receiving the cut.
Tendon Injuries
Similar to the bones and muscles, the tendons are prone to injury. The tendons are tough strands of tissue that connect the bones to the muscles. There are certain medical procedures used to heal the tendons, such as surgery or bracing.
Facial Nerve Palsy
The most severe fetal laceration symptoms show signs of facial nerve palsy, which can be caused by a birth injury. If the laceration does not heal properly, the facial nerve becomes paralyzed and difficult to move. A traumatic injury, caused by a bone fracture, is another cause of this type of palsy. Severe inflammation is another potential cause of this paralysis.
Erb’s Palsy
Erb’s palsy is another paralysis condition that could occur as a result of facial lacerations. This type of palsy affects the functions of the arms. It occurs when the doctor damages the nerves during a traumatic childbirth.
The paralysis either appears for a few months and disappears or continues for years after the injury. Some children’s muscles atrophy and they lose sensations in the nerves. They may grow up with an affected arm that is longer or shorter than the other one. In that particular arm, there is stunted development in the muscular, skeletal and central nervous systems. Paralysis is one of many fetal laceration symptoms.
Hearing and Vision Problems
Lacerations around the baby’s eyes or ears are likely to occur and cause damage. The baby develops hearing and vision problems that will heal partly, heal fully or worsen progressively. Children have body parts that heal themselves over time.
Not all fetal laceration symptoms are self-healing, though. The depth of the laceration is a factor that determines the severity of the problem. Whether or not the laceration is infected is another determining factor.
According to the Patient Safety Authority (PSA), up to 900 women have received C-sections and only 1.5% of those babies have received fetal lacerations. The rates of fetal lacerations are fairly low in most women and children. However, many cause severe, life-threatening injuries. Fetal laceration symptoms vary from small nicks to very deep cuts that become infected. Inexperienced doctors and ruptured membranes are common reasons why these lacerations occur. Nowadays, fetal lacerations are fairly common, but these problems are preventable and treatable.
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