Vacuum Extraction Delivery
Assistance may be needed to complete the vaginal deliveries if problem arises while performing normal vaginal deliveries. Forceps and vacuum extraction delivery are two of the most common methods of assisted delivery, commonly called operative delivery. In both of these methods, doctors use tools in order to pull the baby out through birth canal. Doctors use vacuum delivery more commonly than forceps delivery. Doctors assist approximately 10 percent deliveries with vacuum extraction.
Doctors opt for assisted vaginal deliveries when:
- The pregnant women is exhausted due to continue pushing
- The labor is not progressive enough
- There is concern for either the baby’s or mother’s well being
Working of vacuum extraction:
Doctors place a cup connected to a vacuum pump on the baby’s head. These cups can be made of metal or plastic and varies in their relative softness or rigidity. Rigid cups leads to successful deliveries but there is high possibility that they may cause injury to baby. A vacuum pump creates a vacuum or suction in the cup required to pull the baby.
According to recent studies, there is an increased risk of complications or injuries associated with the vacuum birth for the mother and baby. Additionally, many other factors increase the risk of birth injury like the following:
- Suction pressure
- Duration of suction
- Placement of the suction cup
- Sufficient pelvic head ratio between the baby and mother
- Age of the fetus to be delivered (not less than 34 weeks, at least thirty-seven weeks of gestational age)
Injury Risk for Baby:
There is an increased risk of developing following birth injuries in vacuum assisted deliveries:
- Intra-ventricle bleeding:
Intracranial bleeding in the ventricles of the brain
- Retinal bleeding
Bleeding in the back of the eye
- Skull fracture:
It is rare, serious cephalohematomas occurs because of skull fracture while performing assisted delivery
- Scalp trauma
Abrasions or bruise on scalp
- Intracranial bleeding
Bleeding in the brain caused due to rupture blood vessels
- Brachial plexus injury:
Nerve damage responsible for causing paralysis of fingers, arm and hands
- Cephalohematoma:
Blood next the skull of the baby, which is usually reabsorbed within a period of weeks and three months. Broken red blood cells increase the production of bilirubin, which in turn increases the risk of jaundice.
Risk to mother:
The risk of developing any injury to the mother undergoing vacuum extraction is much lower. However, there may be tearing and stretching of tissues and severe damage to the pelvic floor.
Safety of Vacuum Extraction:
The incidence of birth defects or birth injuries, particularly retinal hemorrhage, cephalohematoma and intra – cranial hemorrhage occurs more in the vacuum and forceps delivery than in the normal spontaneous vaginal birth. Injury to the baby occurs due to technical and physician’s error. Despite the risk of increased birth injury to baby, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration insured the Public Health Advisory in 1988, many doctors believe that vacuum extraction is a proper and safe option for assisted delivery.
If you believe that your baby suffered any birth injury due to vacuum extraction then immediately contact an experienced birth injury attorney who will help you in filing a lawsuit so that you may receive some monetary compensation for the pain and sufferings and fees.