Why You Need to Know about Traumatic Birth Syndrome

Birth injuries are serious complications that can arise during labor and delivery. Mistakes by your team of healthcare professionals can have lifelong effects on your child. We often talk about the causes of cerebral palsy, hypoxia, forceps injuries, and other conditions and the effects that they can have on your child. Often overlooked, however, are the effects that a traumatic birth can have on you and your family.

What is Traumatic Birth Syndrome?

Traumatic birth syndrome is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that occurs after childbirth. It is separate and distinct from other post-partum conditions. Normal labor and delivery is stressful enough. When something goes wrong, both parents can suffer psychological and emotional consequences, especially when a medical team made a mistake or failed to keep mom informed of changing circumstances.

From The Birth Trauma Association of the UK, “… it is not always the sensational or dramatic events that trigger childbirth trauma but other factors such as loss of control, loss of dignity, the hostile or difficult attitudes of the people around them, feelings of not being heard or the absence of informed consent to medical procedures….” Some of the causes of post-natal PTSD include:

• Difficulties with the labor process
• Emergency deliveries (such as unexpected C-sections)
• Poor listening by medical personnel
• Prior traumas involving birth experiences
• Fetal death or a stillbirth
• Lack of information about the mother, her condition, or the condition of the baby
• Birth injuries or congenital defects

PTSD affects families, not individuals

Post Natal PTSD, or Traumatic Birth Syndrome, is more likely to develop if your child’s mother experienced any of these conditions during labor. This condition can affect both parents, as those feelings of helplessness and confusion are common contributors to PTSD. If you or your loved one have experienced debilitating Traumatic Birth Syndrome after a lengthy or complicated delivery, you may be the victim of medical malpractice and entitled to compensation.

Birth injury is serious and can have serious consequences. The circumstances and effects require extensive research and preparation to get you the best results. Our skilled South Carolina obstetrical malpractice attorneys have the experience and resources to represent your family when you need us most. For a free consultation with McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, call 803-327-7800 or contact us today.