Obstetrics and Gynecology - A. M. Gromova 2000

Neonatal Diseases
Birth Injuries of the Newborn

Birth trauma refers to damage to fetal Organs and Tissues occurring during the delivery process. The average incidence of Birth injuries ranges from 2.1% to 7.6% among live births and reaches up to 40.5% among stillborn and deceased newborns.

Factors that can lead to birth injuries include various pathological conditions of the fetus, among which Hypoxia plays a prominent role. An unfavorable course of Pregnancy, maternal cardiovascular and endocrine diseases, gestational toxicosis, Rhesus incompatibility, as well as premature or prolonged pregnancy, all cause chronic Fetal hypoxia, reduce its adaptive capacity, and may lead to trauma even during a normal delivery.

In the Pathogenesis of birth injuries, two factors play a leading role: mechanical damage occurring as the fetus passes through the birth canal and during obstetric interventions, and general and local Circulatory Disorders caused by intrauterine fetal hypoxia.

Mechanical forces exceeding the fetus's resilience occur due to fetopelvic disproportion (anatomically or clinically narrow pelvis), abnormal presentations (deflexion presentations, such as anterior fontanelle, brow, or face presentations), prolonged or precipitous labor, and As a result of operative delivery (Obstetric Forceps, fetal extraction, internal podalic version, etc.).

Birth injuries are classified into:

- soft tissue injuries;

- bone fractures;

- internal organ injuries;

- Nervous system injuries:

- craniocerebral injuries;

- spinal injuries;

- Peripheral Nervous System injuries.



Last update: 08/08/2026

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