What is a shoulder dystocia birth?
Shoulder dystocia occurs when a baby’s shoulders become stuck during labor after the head has been delivered. It is a time-sensitive emergency that requires careful, controlled action from the delivery team to free the baby safely and avoid injury.
When the response is delayed, the risk of serious harm rises quickly. If too much force is then used to free the baby, the result can be catastrophic.
A Georgia jury awarded a family $2.25 million after their baby was decapitated during a shoulder dystocia delivery when excessive force was used.
Shoulder dystocia complications can include brachial plexus nerve damage, loss of oxygen to the brain, and long-term conditions like cerebral palsy (CP).
In some cases, the harmful effects of shoulder dystocia are clear right away. In other cases, families are reassured at first and only begin to question what happened after they are home and notice changes in their baby’s movement or development.
That’s often when families start to revisit the details of the birth and wonder whether more could have been done in the moment. If you have unanswered questions after a shoulder dystocia birth, our team is here to help.
Connect with one of our labor and delivery nurses right now to talk through your concerns.
Why is shoulder dystocia an emergency?
Shoulder dystocia is an emergency because the baby cannot be fully delivered once the shoulders are stuck. Until the shoulders are freed, the baby may not get enough oxygen through the umbilical cord.
At the same time, pressure on the neck, head, and arms can increase with each passing moment.
The delivery team must act quickly and carefully to release the shoulders without causing a birth injury. If the response is delayed or too much force is used, the risk of serious harm rises.
What causes shoulder dystocia?
While the causes of shoulder dystocia cannot always be predicted, certain conditions make it more likely to occur during delivery.
- A smaller or differently shaped maternal pelvis
- Advanced maternal age (35 or older)
- Delivery past the due date
- Excessive pregnancy weight gain or maternal obesity
- A larger baby (often over 8 pounds, 13 ounces)
- Maternal diabetes, including gestational diabetes
- Multiple births, such as twins or triplets
- A prior delivery involving shoulder dystocia
Even when risk factors are present, delivery teams are trained to recognize warning signs and respond quickly. When the response is delayed or handled improperly, preventable injuries can occur, and that is often when families begin to question whether proper care was provided.
Kristin Proctor, RN
Registered Nurse for 20+ Years
Shoulder dystocia delivery and medical malpractice
When shoulder dystocia occurs, it requires immediate and expert care from the delivery team. If the situation is not managed properly, it can result in lasting harm or even death.
Shoulder dystocia negligence tied to birth injuries may include allowing a baby to remain stuck in the birth canal for too long or using excessive force to pull the baby from the mother’s pelvis.
“My child had a rough start with shoulder dystocia and a tight cord around her neck. Once home, we noticed her right arm wasn’t moving properly. A neurologist diagnosed a brachial plexus injury and said it could have been avoided. We were lost until our lawyer stepped in.”
– New York family our legal partners helped
Sadly, medical professionals may try to minimize their role when things go wrong. This is why it’s so important to get help immediately if your baby was injured during childbirth.
Cerebral Palsy Guide works with top birth injury law firms that help families in all 50 states.
Get a free case review now if you think something may have gone wrong during your baby's birth.
Birth injuries from shoulder dystocia complications
Delivery teams must make lightning-fast decisions to prevent complications. When proper care is not taken, it can lead to birth injuries that could have been avoided.
Potential shoulder dystocia birth injuries in newborns include:
- Arm damage such as fractures
- Asphyxia (lack of oxygen)
- Brachial plexus injury, like Erb’s palsy
- Brain damage
- Broken collarbone (clavicle)
- Cerebral palsy caused by brain damage
- Horner’s syndrome
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- Umbilical cord problems
- Other serious birth injuries
If your baby suffered a shoulder dystocia birth injury, you may have legal options that could result in financial compensation to ensure your child receives top-quality care.
Even if your delivery team made you believe nothing could have been done differently, that is not always the case. An experienced birth injury lawyer can help you get to the bottom of what happened.
Call us right now at (855) 220-1101 or Click to Live Chat if your child suffered harm after a shoulder dystocia birth.
Shoulder dystocia birth injuries
Some babies who experience shoulder dystocia show signs of injury right away. Others appear stable at first and develop birth injury symptoms in the hours, days, or weeks after birth.
Injuries from shoulder dystocia in newborn babies often involve the nerves, bones, or oxygen supply. These problems can range from temporary to permanent, depending on how long the baby was stuck and how the delivery was handled.
- Broken collarbone or upper arm
- Bruising, swelling, or tenderness around the shoulder
- Difficulty feeding due to discomfort or weakness
- Limp or weak arm that does not move normally
- Seizures or unusual sleepiness
- Stiffness or tight muscles
- Uneven movement on one side of the body
Some babies are diagnosed in the hospital. Others are sent home, and parents begin to notice differences during daily routines like dressing, feeding, or tummy time.
When movement, strength, or development does not seem typical, families often start to look back at the delivery to try to figure out whether shoulder dystocia played a role.
Signs of shoulder dystocia during delivery
Shoulder dystocia happens quickly and requires immediate action from the delivery team. There are specific signs that medical providers are trained to recognize at the moment.
During delivery, 3 signs of shoulder dystocia can include:
- Baby’s head pulling back against the perineum, sometimes called the “turtle sign”
- Difficulty delivering the shoulders after the head is born
- Prolonged pushing stage after the head has delivered
When these signs appear, the delivery team should respond right away with controlled techniques to free the baby safely. Delays or the use of excessive force can increase the risk of injury.
Shoulder dystocia treatment after birth
Treatment after shoulder dystocia depends on the type of injury. Some babies need time and monitoring for fractures or nerve damage. Others may need therapy, surgery, or specialized care if there was oxygen loss.
If a child’s injury may have been preventable, some families pursue a birth injury lawsuit to help cover the cost of that care. Compensation can make it possible to access therapy, specialists, equipment, and long-term support for your child.
“Some families have received over $1 million from birth injury lawsuits, though it varies wildly based on the injury and how it may affect the child throughout their lifetime.”
— Ricky LeBlanc, birth injury lawyer
Treatment for shoulder dystocia complications can continue for months or years, depending on what your baby went through during delivery. Some children need short-term follow-up, while others may need ongoing therapy, medical visits, or support as they grow.
Get a free case review right now to see if you could be entitled to financial compensation.
How doctors should respond to shoulder dystocia
Shoulder dystocia requires a fast, coordinated response from the delivery team. The goal is to free the baby using controlled steps that create space and reduce pressure on the head, neck, and shoulders.
Teams are trained to follow a set order of maneuvers rather than pulling with force.
Common emergency maneuvers used during delivery
Many teams use a sequence of steps known as HELPERR, a guide for management of shoulder dystocia.
- H — Help: Call for additional medical staff
- E — Episiotomy: Make more room if needed
- L — Legs: Flex the mother’s legs back to open the pelvis (McRoberts maneuver)
- P — Pressure: Apply pressure above the pubic bone to rotate the baby
- E — Enter maneuvers: Use internal rotation to reposition the shoulders
- R — Remove the arm: Gently deliver the back arm to create space
- R — Roll: Reposition the mother onto hands and knees
These steps are meant to free the baby without too much force. If they are delayed, skipped, or done improperly, preventable injuries can occur.
Get legal help for shoulder dystocia birth injuries
When medical malpractice is the cause of birth injuries, you may have legal options. Mistakes made by delivery teams during childbirth can leave children with lifelong physical and intellectual disabilities.
Working with an experienced birth injury attorney can help your family pursue justice and hold the health care providers who delivered your child accountable for their negligent care.
Cerebral Palsy Guide partners with a network of top birth injury lawyers and law firms across the country. Together, they have recovered over $1 billion for families affected by birth injuries.
If you feel the health care team that delivered your child was negligent, your family may be entitled to financial compensation.
Call (855) 220-1101 right now or fill out this form for a free case review to find out if we can connect you with a top birth injury law firm near you.
