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Malpractice attorneys in Chicago know that birth injuries are among the most devastating types of injuries that can occur. Birth injuries generally have two primary causes: hypoxia (deprivation of oxygen) or trauma. Unfortunately, the larger a baby is, the more likely it is that the baby and mother will be harmed during the labor process. As such, a recent trend in big babies has medical professionals concerned and is something that doctors need to be aware of and respond to properly. 

Oversized Babies Increase the Risk of Birth Injuries

According to NBC News Health,  a growing number of infants are far larger than the standard at birth.  Just this summer alone, mothers gave birth to a 13.5 pound German baby girl, a 13-pound, 10-ounce California baby and a 13-pound, 11-ounce little girl born in Spain.

The increase in big babies may be explained by two risk factors: (1) later-in-life births, increasing the number of mothers with gestational diabetes, and (2) rising rates of obesity, resulting in more obese mothers giving birth.  These conditions have resulted in a 15 to 25 percent increase in babies weighing more than eight pounds, 13 ounces, in developed countries.  A baby larger than this weight is generally considered oversized.  

As more big babies are born, there is a greater chance of birth injuries occurring due to the inherent difficulties in birthing an oversized child.  A larger baby, for example, is at risk of shoulder dystocia and bone fractures.  Shoulder dystocia happens when the baby becomes lodged behind the mother’s pubic bone.

Doctors have to act quickly to extract the baby to minimize the risk of fetal distress and oxygen deprivation.

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