Breech Birth Complications and Injuries: What You Need to Know

When expectant parents prepare for childbirth, they trust that their medical team will ensure the safest possible delivery for both mother and baby. However, when a baby presents in a breech position – with the feet or buttocks positioned downward instead of the baby’s head – the delivery becomes significantly more complex and potentially dangerous. Complications of breech delivery can result in devastating injuries that affect a child for their entire life, often stemming from medical decisions that fall below the accepted standard of care.

At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., our experienced Chicago medical malpractice attorneys understand the profound effects that preventable birth injuries can have on families. We have recovered over $2.5 billion to date, including the highest compensatory verdict award to an individual plaintiff in Illinois history and more than 375 verdicts and settlements of $1 million+. In 2024, we won a $75 million jury verdict for a birth injury involving a breech baby. If your child suffered injuries during a breech delivery due to medical negligence, contact us today for a free consultation with a birth injury attorney. Let us help you seek the justice and compensation your family deserves.

Causes of Breech Births

Understanding why breech presentations occur helps illuminate when medical professionals should have anticipated and properly managed these challenging deliveries. Several factors increase the likelihood of a breech presentation, including early labor, an abnormally shaped uterus, fibroids, excessive amniotic fluid, multiple babies in the womb, and placenta previa.

Medical research indicates that approximately three to four percent of pregnancies near term involve a breech presentation. While some babies naturally turn to the proper head-down position before delivery, others remain in the breech position throughout pregnancy and even up to the time of birth. Healthcare providers can identify breech presentations through physical examination and ultrasound technology, typically by the 35th or 36th week of pregnancy.

The three primary types of breech deliveries include the following:

• Frank breech occurs when the baby’s hips are bent, but the knees remain straight, with legs extended upward.
• Complete breech involves both hips and knees being bent, positioning the baby in a sitting position.
• Incomplete or footling breech presents with one or both of the baby’s feet extending downward toward the birth canal first.

Each of these presentations carries distinct risks.

Early detection of breech presentation allows medical teams to develop appropriate delivery plans and discuss options with expectant parents. Failure to identify a breech presentation or adequately prepare for its associated risks may constitute medical malpractice.

Injuries to Baby Caused by Breech Delivery

Research from a comprehensive Finnish study published in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics reveals that babies delivered in a breech position were at an increased risk of injury. According to this research, the incidence of severe birth injury was significantly higher in vaginal breech delivery (0.8 percent) compared to breech cesarean section (0.06 percent) and standard head-first vaginal delivery (0.3 percent).

Breech birth injuries encompass a range of serious conditions that can affect a child throughout their life, including the following:

• Brachial plexus injuries occur when the network of nerves controlling arm and hand movement becomes stretched or torn during delivery. This often results in Erb’s palsy, causing weakness or paralysis in the shoulder and arm that may be temporary or permanent.
• Oxygen deprivation is another significant risk during breech deliveries. When babies become trapped in the birth canal, their oxygen supply can become compromised, leading to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). This type of brain damage can cause cerebral palsy, seizures, cognitive impairments, and developmental delays.
• Fractures commonly occur during difficult breech deliveries, particularly affecting the clavicle, arms, and legs. While some fractures heal completely, others may result in ongoing complications or deformities.
• Spinal cord injuries, though less common, can cause partial or complete paralysis.
• Head trauma presents serious risks when the largest part of the baby – the head – becomes trapped after the body has already been delivered. This can result in skull fractures, intracranial hemorrhage, and severe brain damage.

Preventable Delivery Complications Resulting from Breech Birth

Proper medical management and decision-making can help prevent many complications associated with breech delivery. Healthcare providers have several options for managing breech presentations safely, and their failure to exercise appropriate judgment can constitute malpractice.

External cephalic version (ECV) offers one potential solution for breech presentations. This procedure involves pushing on the mother’s abdomen while monitoring the baby via ultrasound to guide the baby into the correct head-first position. Success rates are higher when performed around 36 to 37 weeks of pregnancy, when the baby is smaller and more amniotic fluid is present.

Cesarean section delivery provides the safest option for some breech presentations. Most babies who remain breech after an attempt at turning them will be delivered by a C-section. The decision to proceed with cesarean delivery should be made based on a careful evaluation of risk factors and individual circumstances.

Medical malpractice may occur when healthcare providers:

• Fail to monitor fetal position properly
• Neglect to inform parents about breech presentation risks
• Attempt inappropriate vaginal delivery despite contraindications
• Delay necessary cesarean intervention
• Prepare inadequately for emergencies during breech delivery

Filing a Medical Malpractice Suit for Injuries Caused by a Breech Delivery

When medical professionals fail to meet the standard of care during breech deliveries which results in preventable injuries, families may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Successful claims typically require demonstrating that healthcare providers deviated from accepted medical practices and that this deviation directly caused the child’s injuries.

Common examples of malpractice in breech delivery cases include:

• Failing to diagnose breech presentation promptly
• Attempting vaginal delivery when cesarean section was clearly indicated
• Improper use of force or delivery techniques
• Inadequate monitoring of fetal distress
• Failure to perform emergency cesarean delivery when complications arose

The compensation available in these cases can help families address the extensive medical costs, therapy needs, adaptive equipment, and ongoing care requirements that often accompany serious birth injuries. Damages may also include compensation for pain and suffering, loss of future earning capacity, and emotional distress experienced by the child and family members.

Contact Our Chicago Medical Malpractice Attorneys

At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., we understand that no amount of compensation can undo the harm caused by preventable birth injuries. However, holding negligent medical professionals accountable can provide families with the resources necessary to secure the best possible care for their children while preventing similar injuries to other families.

Our experienced legal team can thoroughly investigate your case and consult with medical experts to determine whether the care provided met appropriate medical standards. We offer free consultations to evaluate your potential claim. If you retain our legal services, we can fight aggressively for the maximum compensation available under the law. Contact us today for a free consultation.