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Birth Trauma

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Rickham's Neonatal Surgery

Abstract

Birth trauma refers to the variety of injuries that can be sustained by the infant during the process of labour and delivery. It is a significant cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The process of birth involves a combination of mechanical forces acting upon the fetus that can produce tissue haemorrhage and disruption of physiological integrity. These factors may result from the method of delivery, route of delivery or fetal position and size. In addition, obstetric intervention may amplify the effects of these forces and cause or exacerbate birth trauma. Whilst one aim of the obstetrician is to prevent birth trauma by identifying fetuses at risk and making appropriate plans for delivery, most birth injuries are unavoidable and occur despite skilled obstetric and neonatal care. In any discussion of birth trauma it is important to realise that whilst caesarean delivery may be protective of some types of birth trauma, fetal injuries can be seen with caesarean section, even when this is performed as an elective procedure.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Women’s and Children Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Women’s Hospital, Liverpool, L8 7SS, UK

    Mark Tattersall MA, BM, BCh, MRCOG

  2. Liverpool Women’s Hospital, Crown Street, Liverpool, L8 7SS, UK

    Devender Roberts MB, ChB, MRCOG

  3. Corniche Hospital, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Leanne Bricker MB, BCh, MRCOG

Authors
  1. Mark Tattersall MA, BM, BCh, MRCOG
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  2. Devender Roberts MB, ChB, MRCOG
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  3. Leanne Bricker MB, BCh, MRCOG
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mark Tattersall MA, BM, BCh, MRCOG .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Child Health, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom

    Paul D. Losty

  2. University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Alan W. Flake

  3. Childrens Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Risto J. Rintala

  4. Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    John M. Hutson

  5. Department of Surgery, Meiji University of Integrative Medicine, Kyoto, Japan

    Naomi lwai

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Tattersall, M., Roberts, D., Bricker, L. (2018). Birth Trauma. In: Losty, P., Flake, A., Rintala, R., Hutson, J., lwai, N. (eds) Rickham's Neonatal Surgery. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4721-3_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4721-3_17

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