Can brachial plexus injuries be prevented?
Many cases of brachial plexus injury that occur during childbirth are preventable. Since there are known risk factors which increase the possibility that a baby will be born with a brachial plexus injury, the key to prevention is identification and management of risk factors. Most brachial plexus injuries occur during deliveries in which shoulder dystocia is encountered. Shoulder dystocia is a condition in which one of the baby’s shoulders becomes stuck under the mother’s pelvic bone during the birth process. It is considered an obstetrical emergency, because a rapid, skillful response is required to avoid serious injury, or, in some cases, the death of the baby. If managed with the proper manual maneuvers, nearly all cases of shoulder dystocia can be resolved without any injury to the baby. Although shoulder dystocia cannot be predicted in advance with certainty, the presence of a large (nine pounds or more) baby significantly increases the likelihood that shoulder dystocia will devel
