Our baby was delivered with the assistance of forceps, which was traumatic and caused damage. We have recently learned that she has cerebral palsy. Has the use of forceps been linked to cerebral palsy?

Yes, it is very possible that your daughter’s cerebral palsy may have been caused by the use of forceps; this and many more birth injuries have been linked to forceps-assisted births. When the forceps damage the cerebrum of the brain, motor functions like movement, processing of sensory information, speech and language can all be affected.

While we do not know the details of your delivery or what your medical reports might say, we do know that, while infrequent, forceps-assisted deliveries do increase the chances of many serious injuries. Cerebral palsy is one of them.

In an online article,the 2004 case of a Wisconsin woman was described. During the course of labor, she was put on oxytocin to induce her labor. Later, when it was determined that her baby was in distress, the physician decided to use forceps, followed by a vacuum extraction.

All of this resulted in skull fractures, a shoulder dystocia and the diagnosis of cerebral palsy. The lawsuit filed by the parents returned a verdict of $23.2 million – but not a penny of it could change the facts or the condition of the child.

If you do suspect that your child was injured at birth, you should definitely explore your legal options. The truth is that you owe it to both your child and yourself to put your doubts to rest.

The Tennessee birth injury specialists at Bailey and Greer in Memphis offer you a free case consultation. Call us toll free today at 888-470-9143 to find out what you are up against.