Attorney Explains: What Is Shoulder Dystocia?

A complication that can happen during a vaginal delivery is called a Shoulder Dystocia. And that’s basically where the baby is coming out of the birth canal and its shoulder gets stuck on the mom’s pubic bone. And after the head delivers it prevents the rest of the body from coming out. When this happens, it can lead to oxygen deprivation to the child’s brain, and it’s a situation where the providers have some time, but not a lot of time to get the baby delivered. So what Doctors and midwives and nurses are taught is steps to safely deliver the baby. And the most important thing during a shoulder dystopia is to make sure that the baby’s head stays in line with its spine. If the baby’s head is flexed or pulled too hard by the doctor during delivery, it can cause brachial plexus injuries on the nerves.