How common are birth injuries in the United States?
Around 30,000 babies are born in the U.S. every year with some form of birth injury. Roughly 3 out of every 1,000 deliveries result in serious harm such as nerve damage, broken bones, or brain injuries, according to birth injury statistics.
Additionally, complications that happen around the time of birth are the leading cause of infant death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Here are more key birth injury statistics:
- Birth injuries are more common in males than females, often due to their size.
- 80% of birth injuries are considered moderate to severe.
- Birth injuries account for 20% of the 20,000 infant deaths in the U.S. each year.
- In extreme cases of birth asphyxia, up to 1 in 4 infants may die from lack of oxygen.
- Even routine vaginal births can result in internal brain bleeding.
Preventable birth injuries are often linked to complications during labor and delivery, like lack of oxygen and improper use of delivery tools such as forceps or vacuum extractors.
In these situations, families may be eligible to pursue financial compensation through a birth injury lawsuit.
Cerebral Palsy Guide works with a network of top birth injury lawyers across the country who can help families in all 50 states.
Our legal partners have recovered over $1 billion for preventable birth injuries.
Get a free case review now to see if you may qualify for financial support to give your child the best possible life.
Birth injury statistics on legal claims
Every year, about 20,000 medical malpractice lawsuits are filed in the United States. Some of these involve serious birth injuries caused by mistakes during labor and delivery.
Doctors who deliver babies face the most medical malpractice lawsuits. In fact, more than 60% of obstetrician-gynecologists (OB-GYNs) have been sued at least once during their careers, according to the American Medical Association.
These claims are often related to complications during childbirth, such as failure to monitor fetal distress or improper use of delivery tools.
The average payout for medical malpractice involving babies under one month old is over $1 million.
Since birth injuries can range from mild to permanently disabling, birth injury settlements and verdicts vary widely. More serious injuries that cause lasting harm often lead to higher payouts.
Birth injury statistics on causes
Injuries during childbirth can happen for a number of reasons, and in some cases, the causes of birth injuries remain unknown.
A birth injury is usually caused by conditions related to the mother or baby, but can have other causes as well, including medical negligence.
Learn more about the causes of harm through the birth injury statistics below.
Maternal conditions
Severe maternal complications during labor affect about 1–2% of all deliveries in the U.S. These can increase the risk of birth injury if not managed promptly.
- Advanced maternal age (over 35) affects up to 20% of pregnancies
- Delayed or prolonged labor occurs in approximately 8% of deliveries
- Gestational diabetes is diagnosed in roughly 6% to 9% of pregnancies
- Maternal infection affects around 6% of deliveries and may lead to meningitis or other serious complications
- Obesity is seen in about 1 in every 3 pregnant women
- Placental abruption (early detachment) happens in roughly 1 in every 100 to 200 pregnancies
These complications can increase the risk of harm if they aren't properly managed during labor and delivery.
Infant conditions
Babies can also be affected by a variety of conditions during pregnancy and childbirth that can lead to birth injuries when they are not diagnosed and properly managed.
- Breech position (feet- or buttocks-first), seen in 3 to 4% of term deliveries
- Newborn infection, affecting about 4% of deliveries
- Oxygen deprivation, occurring in around 2 to 10 infants per 1,000 births
These birth injury statistics show how complications during labor can escalate quickly, making early detection and proper care essential to protect the baby’s health.
Other causes of birth injury
A birth injury can also result from a physical injury, usually to the baby’s head or shoulders, that occurs either during the birthing process or shortly after delivery.
Head and scalp injuries are the most common types of physical injuries to newborn babies, with scalp injuries accounting for 80% of all birth injuries.
When infants suffer a broken bone during childbirth, it is most likely to be a clavicle (collarbone) fracture, occurring in 0.2% to 4.5% of deliveries, according to birth injury statistics.
If you think your child’s birth injury could have been avoided, get a free case review now. There’s no cost or obligation.
Birth injury statistics on risk factors
While any child can be born with a birth injury, some infants are more likely than others due to certain risk factors.
Some of these risk factors can be managed in the prenatal period, while others may be outside the control of the medical team.
Here are important birth injury statistics on risk factors.
Delivery complications
These include failure to progress, fetal distress, excessive bleeding, and malpositioning of the baby in the birth canal.
Fetal distress (when a baby is not receiving enough oxygen during pregnancy or labor) is estimated to occur in 5% to 10% of deliveries.
Failure to progress is when a mother starts the labor process, but then labor is slowed, and the baby may not be descending, or her cervix may have stopped dilating.
Gestational diabetes
Diabetes that only occurs during pregnancy affects 6% to 9% of all pregnancies in the U.S. each year, according to birth injury statistics.
Gestational diabetes can result in several health conditions in babies, including:
- High birth weight
- Low blood sugar
- Premature birth
- Type 2 diabetes later in life
Because gestational diabetes can cause babies to grow too large, labor becomes riskier and injuries are more likely during delivery.
Health of the baby
The infant may be in poor health at the time of delivery, sometimes due to the mother passing an infection during vital periods of development.
Babies can also experience failed development or growth while still in the womb, making birth injury more likely.
Additionally, 3% of babies are born with birth defects, sometimes called congenital abnormalities, that can negatively affect their overall health and even be fatal in some instances.
Health of the mother
If the mother is in poor health, particularly if she has a viral or bacterial infection, the infant can be at risk for a birth injury.
8% of women experience a urinary tract infection (UTI) during pregnancy, according to the CDC.
UTIs during pregnancy can be very dangerous, leading to miscarriage, stillbirth (intrauterine fetal demise), or preterm birth. They can also be passed to the infant as a life-threatening infection.
Labor induction
Around 20% to 40% of labor is induced, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
Labor induction can put an infant at risk for a birth injury, mainly because of certain medications used, like Pitocin®. Pitocin can cause the uterus to contract too often, which can lead to infant distress.
Although rare, Pitocin increases the risk of the uterus rupturing, which cuts off oxygen to the infant and can cause brain damage.
Preeclampsia
This condition is characterized by dangerously high blood pressure and signs of organ stress, including protein in the urine. Birth injury statistics show that it affects about 5% to 7% of pregnancies.
Preeclampsia is one of the leading causes of maternal death and can be life-threatening if not properly managed.
Babies exposed to preeclampsia are at higher risk for restricted growth, placental abruption or separation from the uterus before birth, and premature birth.
Being born early can lead to feeding issues, breathing problems, hearing or vision loss, and developmental delays.
Position of the baby
A baby's position in the birth canal, especially breech position, can put them at a greater risk for a birth injury.
Around 3% to 4% of babies are in the breech position at the start of labor, often requiring a cesarean section (C-section) for the safety of both the mother and child.
Size of the baby
About 8% of babies in the U.S. are born underweight (less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces), while another 8% are born at a high birth weight (over 8 pounds, 13 ounces), according to the CDC.
Here's how both can increase the risk of birth injury:
- High birth weight can lead to prolonged or complicated deliveries, increasing the risk of oxygen deprivation and physical trauma.
- Low birth weight is often linked to premature birth and may cause feeding difficulties, breathing problems, and long-term developmental delays.
If you think your child’s condition could have been avoided with better care, connect with our registered nurses now. They can talk with you in private about what may have really happened.
Birth injury statistics by condition
There are many types of birth injuries, with effects that range from mild to severe. In the most serious cases, a birth injury can even result in a child’s death.
Below are birth injury statistics for several related health conditions.
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders caused by damage to the developing brain before, during, or shortly after birth.
A large study in Pediatric Neurology analyzing over 6 million births found that when mothers had infections during pregnancy, especially near delivery, their child’s risk of CP was up to 4 times greater.
Nearly 1 in 7 children with CP had a mother who was infected during delivery.
The five types of cerebral palsy include:
- Spastic CP, which accounts for 77% of all cases
- Athetoid (dyskinetic) CP, which affects about 2.6% of cases
- Hypotonic CP, which makes up about 2.6% of cases
- Ataxic CP, which represents about 2.4% of cases
- Mixed CP, which accounts for about 15.4% of cases
Each type presents different challenges that may require long-term care and support. If your child has cerebral palsy that could have been prevented, you may be eligible for financial compensation.
Find out right now with a free case review.
Brachial plexus nerve damage
Brachial plexus injuries happen when the nerves that control movement and feeling in a baby’s shoulder, arm, or hand are stretched, compressed, or torn during birth.
These injuries can lead to weakness, loss of motion, or even paralysis in the affected limb.
One of the most well-known types of brachial plexus injury is Erb’s palsy, which affects the upper nerves and often results in weakness or loss of function in the shoulder and upper arm.
Erb’s palsy occurs in about 1 in every 1,000 live births and is often linked to a difficult or traumatic delivery, according to birth injury statistics.
- Assisted delivery tools like forceps or vacuum extractors
- Breech position at the time of delivery
- High birth weight (fetal macrosomia)
- Multiple births (such as twins or triplets)
- Shoulder dystocia, baby’s shoulder gets stuck behind the mother’s pelvis
- Use of excessive force by the delivery team
With early diagnosis and proper treatment, many infants recover, but some may face long-term challenges.
Infant brain damage
Newborn brain damage affects roughly 3 infants out of every 1,000 that reach full-term.
Several serious conditions can cause brain damage in newborns, often due to oxygen deprivation, bleeding, or infection.
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE): Affects about 1 to 2 in every 1,000 live births in developed countries. HIE occurs when the infant’s brain is deprived of oxygen and blood during birth.
- Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH): Occurs in up to 45% of very preterm infants (born before 30 weeks), particularly those under 1,500 grams. IVH is bleeding into the brain’s cavities or ventricular system.
- Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL): A type of white matter brain injury seen most often in premature babies. Birth injury statistics suggest PVL affects up to 20% of very low birth weight infants.
Each of these conditions can result in long-term challenges for infants and their families, especially if not promptly diagnosed and treated.
Kernicterus
This rare but serious type of brain damage happens when a newborn has extremely high levels of bilirubin, a yellow pigment that forms when the body breaks down red blood cells.
In newborns, too much bilirubin can cause jaundice, a common condition that turns the skin and eyes yellow. When severe jaundice is not treated in time, excess bilirubin can build up in the brain and lead to kernicterus.
This permanent form of brain damage can cause lifelong disabilities such as cerebral palsy, hearing loss, vision problems, or intellectual delays.
Thanks to routine screening and treatment, kernicterus is very rare in the United States today, affecting about 1 in every 44,000 newborns.
Newborn cephalohematoma
Cephalohematoma is a birth-related condition where blood collects between a newborn’s skull and scalp due to ruptured blood vessels. It typically forms after a difficult or assisted vaginal delivery and is usually not harmful, although it may take weeks to resolve.
Birth injury statistics indicate that cephalohematoma occurs in about 2.5% of vaginal births. The risk rises to approximately 10% when tools like forceps or vacuum extractors are used during delivery.
- High birth weight
- Multiple births (twins or triplets, for example)
- Prolonged or challenging labor
- Use of an epidural during delivery
Most cases heal on their own, but large or untreated cephalohematomas may increase the risk of jaundice or other complications.
Spinal cord injuries
Newborn spinal cord injuries are rare, but they can happen during childbirth. They affect about 1 in 29,000 babies.
About 10% of newborn deaths showed spinal cord injuries during autopsies.
Spinal cord injuries in older children are also uncommon, with about 2 cases for every 100,000 kids each year.
Birth injury statistics on co-occurring conditions
Infants who experience birth injuries often experience co-occurring conditions. The conditions could be present at birth or show up later in life.
For example, people with cerebral palsy may also experience:
- Intellectual disabilities: 45%
- Epilepsy: 25%
- Vision loss or impairment: 10%
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD): 7%
- Hearing loss or impairment: 5%
Erb's palsy also has co-occurring medical conditions, particularly a broken collarbone, which occurs in about 50% of Erb’s palsy cases.
Birth injury statistics on treatment options
Some birth injuries may need intensive, long-term treatment, while those that are milder may heal on their own.
Physical therapy, which involves exercises and activities designed to improve strength and combat muscle weakness, has been shown to increase an affected child’s mobility by up to 13%.
Occupational therapy helps improve fine motor skills and teaches children how to perform everyday tasks independently, such as getting dressed, feeding themselves, and brushing their teeth.
Erb’s palsy is a birth injury that has proven to be highly treatable, with nearly a 100% recovery rate in infants who begin treatment within a month of birth, as reported in birth injury statistics.
Get legal help for your child’s birth injury
While birth injury statistics can seem alarming for new families, they can also serve as a reminder that you’re not alone.
If your child suffered from trauma at birth, understanding birth injury statistics can help pinpoint what may have happened.
If you suspect your child’s birth injury could have been prevented, we may be able to help. You could be eligible for financial compensation to help your child live their best possible life.
Our legal partners have recovered over $1 billion for families affected by cerebral palsy and other birth injuries. They may be able to help your family, too.
Call Cerebral Palsy Guide day or night at (855) 220-1101 or get a free birth injury case review now.
