BIRTH INJURIES
Birth injuries are defined as avoidable and unavoidable mechanical or hypoxic-ischemic injury, incurred by an infant during labor and delivery. This definition excludes all
TABLE 12.15: Risk factors for birth asphyxia/injuries
• Maternal factors
- Cephalopelvic disproportion
- Maternal sedation
• Obstetric factors
- Prolonged or precipitate labor
- Abnormal presentations
- Uterine dystocia
- UnattendedAinskilled delivery
- Meconium aspiration
• Fetal factors
- Macrosomia
- Prematirity/postmatirity
- Congenital malformations
injuries before the onset of labor during procedures, e.g.
amniocentesis, or after delivery, i.e. during resuscitation.As the definition suggests, birth injuries may be classified into two categories—(a) birth asphyxia or hypoxic-ischemic injury, and (b) mechanical injuries.
Some important risk factors for hypoxic or mechanical birth injuries are given in Table 12.15. Apart from immediate problems, birth injuries are one of the most important causes of physical/mental handicap in later life.
12.10.1