When most people hear the term “birth injuries,” they think about harm caused to the newborn. While many cases do involve birth injuries like cerebral palsy, meconium aspiration, and shoulder dystocia, mothers can also sustain injuries during childbirth.
Some of these maternal wounds heal over time, but others can have disastrous long-term consequences. Not all maternal injuries are preventable. However, if your injury was caused by medical negligence, our knowledgeable Chicago maternal injuries attorneys will fight to secure maximum compensation on your behalf.
What Are Some of the Most Common Maternal Injuries?
Mothers can experience both physical and psychological injuries that stem from labor and delivery. Vaginal and perineal tears are common, particularly for first-time mothers. Some tears are minor, but deeper ones can affect muscles and other surrounding tissues. These tears typically result from the baby’s head being too large or the mother’s vaginal walls not stretching enough. An episiotomy is a surgical incision that addresses these issues and typically does not cause severe or lasting damage, but even an improperly performed episiotomy can cause complications. Surgery may be necessary to repair these tears.