Common Maternal Injuries During Childbirth

Childbirth injuries most commonly refer to an infant’s injury during birth. However, in some instances, it’s the mother who suffers injuries during this natural but sometimes traumatic process. While some maternal birth injuries may be unavoidable, they can sometimes result from negligent care during labor and delivery.

Some of the most common injuries that can affect a mother during childbirth include:

• Excessive vaginal or perineal tearing
• Pre-eclampsia
• Placental abruption
• Hemorrhaging (excessive bleeding)
• Rectovaginal fistula (a tear in the wall between the vagina and the rectum)
• Infections

The risk of birth injury to the mother may increase with procedures such as forceps-assisted delivery and cesarean birth. Many maternal childbirth injuries can be prevented with proper screening for risk factors as well as prompt intervention when a complication first presents itself during labor.