When a delivery isn't progressing well during the pushing stage of childbirth, sometimes an obstetrician will use forceps to help the mother deliver the baby through the birthing canal.

Forceps look much like a long pair of tongs. A healthcare professional may reach for them to speed delivery along when the baby or mother are in distress. Forceps are a birth-assisting tool that is clamped around the baby's head to help guide the baby out during the mother's contractions.

Sometimes doctors use forceps when the baby isn't turned in the right direction, or when the baby is lodged in the birth canal (vagina). This can occur when the uterus is not contracting enough to push the baby out.

Doctors will turn to forceps when the mother is exhausted, during a prolonged second stage of delivery, or when drugs have made it difficult for the mother to effectively push the baby out. When a mother receives an epidural, it can increase the risk of these problems since pain medication makes it harder for women to feel and push in sync with their contractions.

While the advantages of forceps include avoiding a C-section, and reducing the delivery time, it can lead to complications in the mother and baby, including:

Complications in the mother:

• Pelvic organ prolapse
• Incontinence
• Perineal lacerations

Complications in the baby:

• Cuts
• Bruising
• Seizures
• Facial nerve injury (can be permanent)
• Clavicle fracture
• Intracranial hemorrhage, which can lead to death
• Incorrect twisting of the neck can lead to strabismus (abnormal alignment of the eyes)

Does my child have a forceps injury?

While most forceps injuries will include minor bruising and lacerations, occasionally they can be serious. If your baby suffered a forceps injury, you should have their head and brain checked to rule out serious complications, including permanent facial paralysis, seizure disorders, cerebral palsy, and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

If your child's birth injury was serious, don't hesitate to contact a medical malpractice attorney for the advice you and your child deserve.