A birth injury to the mother is any physical injury that occurs during labour or delivery that may have long-term or permanent effects. This can include broken bones, tears, nerve damage, or postpartum depression.

If a mother sustains a significant injury whilst giving birth, it can be devastating and life changing. If this injury was a result of medical negligence, we can help you to claim the compensation that you deserve, so you can start moving forward with your life.

Childbirth injuries to mother may be a result of medical negligence if the injury that was sustained in the lead up to, during or immediately after the birth, occurred because the medical professional(s) responsible for you provided care that was negligent. This might mean that mistakes or wrong decisions were made, or simply that the level of care provided was not of an acceptable standard and your injury happened as a result.

The occurrence of a significant injury to the mother during birth is not common, but unfortunately they do sometimes happen either before delivery, during the birth itself or immediately after the delivery. Some of the most common types of birth injuries to mother include:

Serious genital tears can sometimes be sustained if a forceps delivery or a ventouse delivery is not carried out to the standard it should be, as these pieces of equipment require skillful use and sufficient training to use safely.

As well as the tear itself, some women sustain urinary or faecal incontinence that can be long-term or even permanent from this type of injury. Damage to the bladder or uterus can also sometimes be sustained with this injury type too.

Pre-eclampsia is a condition that causes the pregnant mother to retain high levels of protein in the blood and can cause a significant increase in blood pressure. A severe case of pre-eclampsia during pregnancy can result in serious health complications for mother and baby, especially if it develops into eclampsia.

If the condition is not properly diagnosed, monitored and the correct action isn't taken by medical professionals at the appropriate time, the care given might be considered negligent.

An Episiotomy is a surgical cut that may be performed on a mother during delivery to help with the process. If this procedure is needed but isn't performed, or is not performed properly, this can lead to injuries for the mother, such as serious tearing. These injuries can sometimes lead to further complications and discomfort too, which could be considered negligence if they occur because a medical professional hasn't given a reasonable standard of care.

If the surgical cut or any tears are not treated appropriately after the delivery, usually by being sutured, and the failure to do so could be considered negligent.

Whilst most cesarean deliveries are performed with no major problems, this sadly isn't always the case and surgical mistakes can sometimes happen. The medical professionals responsible for the care of the mother always have to be vigilant for any signs of excessive bleeding, clotting and the risks of infection for the mother during and after the delivery. If they fail to notice these issues or do not treat appropriately, this can cause long-term suffering and can sometimes result in issues with future pregnancies.

Damage caused to mother during labour giving birth to premature child. The claimant suffered serious injury. The midwife was struck off and the claimant awarded £30,000.