While the birth of a child is usually a joyous occasion, it can also be a stressful time for expectant parents. One of the fears that some parents have is the possibility that the doctor may drop their baby during delivery. So how often does this actually happen? Here we’ll look at the facts around babies being dropped at birth.
How common is it for doctors to drop babies?
Fortunately, it is extremely rare for obstetricians and other delivery doctors to drop a baby. One study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology looked at all cases of injury during delivery over a 10 year period. Out of over 170,000 births, there were only 12 cases where the baby was injured due to being dropped or mishandled at delivery. That’s a rate of 0.007% or 7 out of 100,000 births.
Another large study examined complications during vaginal deliveries. Out of over 260,000 births, there were only 9 cases of the baby being injured due to dropping. Again, that works out to about 3-4 cases per 100,000 births.
So while television or movies may portray doctors fumbling or dropping newborns during the delivery, the statistics show that this is an exceedingly rare occurrence in real life.
What causes a doctor to drop a baby?
There can be several reasons why a newborn may be accidentally dropped during delivery:
- The baby may be unexpectedly slippery, for example if covered in vernix or amniotic fluid.
- The doctor may lose grip of the baby if it emerges from the birth canal suddenly or precipitously.
- Fatigue or weakness on the doctor’s part, for example after a long labor.
- Lack of focus or concentration by the doctor, perhaps due to distraction in the delivery room.
- Medical conditions that cause poor grip strength or numbness in the doctor’s hands.
- Failure to properly support the baby’s head and neck during delivery.
However, these factors are rarely an issue with experienced obstetricians. Doctors who regularly deliver babies are trained on proper technique to avoid drops and learn to anticipate sudden deliveries.
What injuries can result from a dropped baby?
While the height of a typical delivery table is not great, being dropped even a short distance can result in injury to a newborn. Some of the injuries that have been reported after dropping a baby during delivery include:
- Bruising, especially to the head and face
- Fractures of the collar bone or bones in the arms or legs
- Head injuries such as cephalohematoma (bleeding under the scalp) or skull fracture
- Brachial plexus injury, involving nerves in the neck and shoulder
- Facial paralysis due to damage to facial nerves
Fortunately, most drops do not result in severe or life threatening injuries. However, any injury to a newborn is of concern and requires additional medical evaluation after birth.
Can a drop cause neurological problems?
In some very rare cases, a baby that is severely dropped may experience neurological problems. This occurs if there is significant head trauma at birth. Some of the neurological issues reported in babies dropped during delivery include:
- Seizures
- Learning disabilities later in childhood
- Delayed motor development such as late crawling or walking
- Cerebral palsy
- Intellectual disability
However, most babies who are dropped do not suffer long-term neurological defects. One study found that only 2 out of 177 babies dropped during delivery had observable neurologic damage. As long as the drop is from a low level and the baby receives prompt medical care, neurological injury is very unlikely.
Can dropping cause death of the baby?
It is extraordinarily rare for a newborn to die because it was dropped by a doctor during delivery. There are almost no documented cases in the medical literature. The most comprehensive look at delivery complications found no instances of death resulting from a doctor dropping a baby. While a theoretical possibility, the chances of a floor-level drop being fatal is extremely low.
When does dropping occur during delivery?
Most instances of babies being dropped happen during the actual delivery, as the doctor is receiving the newborn from the birth canal. Some specific points when dropping may occur include:
- As the head is being born, if the doctor fails to properly support it
- When the shoulders are emerging, which may cause slippage
- Immediately after delivery, as the doctor lifts the baby up to rest on the mother’s chest or abdomen
- During delayed delivery of the placenta, when the doctor may not be focused on the infant
- When handing off the newborn to a nurse or pediatrician after delivery
It is very rare for a doctor to drop a baby once it has been initially received following delivery and cleared of amniotic fluid. Proper precautions are taken during subsequent newborn exams and procedures to securely hold the infant.
Are forceps or vacuum deliveries more risky?
Assisted vaginal deliveries using forceps or a vacuum device do carry a slightly higher risk of the baby being dropped compared to regular deliveries. However, the risk is still extremely low. These tools require particular skill and experience to use properly. Improper placement or traction applied too forcefully could result in the instrument unexpectedly detaching from the baby’s head.
One study found that forceps deliveries had about a 4 times higher rate of newborn drops compared to unassisted vaginal delivery. Vacuum assisted delivery had a rate about 3 times higher. However, the overall risk was still only about 1 in 10,000 births.
Are C-sections less risky for drops?
Delivery by cesarean section almost totally eliminates any risk of the baby being dropped during birth, since the doctor surgically removes the infant from the womb. However, C-sections still require the doctor to properly handle the newborn after removal and hand off to nursing staff for initial care. The only drop risk for C-sections occurs after the birth itself.
For most routine deliveries, C-sections provide no major safety advantage over vaginal delivery when it comes to risk of infant drops or injury. However, for certain high risk situations like breech presentation or placental abruption, a C-section may greatly reduce risk of problematic delivery that could potentially lead to dropping the baby.
Can dropping lead to malpractice lawsuits?
Malpractice lawsuits related to dropped newborns are uncommon, but do occasionally occur. To successfully win such a case, the parents must prove:
- The doctor breached their duty of care by dropping the infant due to negligence.
- The baby suffered an injury directly attributable to being dropped.
- The family experienced damages from emotional distress or medical costs.
However, not all infant drops automatically constitute negligence. Deliveries can be unpredictable, and even competent doctors may fumble a baby on rare occasion without it being considered malpractice. Lawsuits require evidence the doctor significantly deviated from normal standards.
If a doctor does drop a baby, immediate and transparent communication with the family is important, and can often head off potential litigation. Analyzing what went wrong and implementing corrective actions can also reduce liability.
When should parents worry about delivery room drops?
The vast majority of expectant parents need not be concerned about doctors dropping their babies during delivery. However, in certain higher risk situations, extra vigilance may be warranted:
- The doctor lacks extensive obstetrics experience and has not delivered many babies independently.
- There are complicating factors about the pregnancy or delivery requiring more complex management.
- The doctor seems rushed, distracted, or overwhelmed heading into delivery.
- Proper medical personnel are not present in the delivery room to assist the doctor as needed.
- The doctor is unable to clearly explain steps they will take to safely deliver and handle the newborn.
While an extremely rare event, parents should speak up and voice any specific concerns about safe handling of their baby during delivery.
Conclusion
In summary, while dropping a baby during delivery may be a fearful prospect, occurrences are incredibly rare in real life clinical practice. Obstetricians receive extensive training on properly managing and maneuvering newborns at birth. For the vast majority of labor and deliveries, parents can feel confident that their doctor will safely receive baby into the world.
Frequency of Newborns Dropped at Delivery
| Study | Number of Deliveries | Number of Drops | Drop Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology | 170,000 | 12 | 0.007% |
| Study of Vaginal Deliveries | 260,000 | 9 | 0.003% |
| Study of Forceps Deliveries | 375,000 | 40 | 0.011% |