Birth Injury Statistics

Learning that your baby has sustained a birth injury is the last thing any mother wants to hear after giving birth to a child. Even worse, no parent expects to die due to injuries from birth. Unfortunately, parents experience this tragedy daily. In the United States, 7 out of 1000 babies will more than likely suffer a birth injury. Two common birth injuries that babies have suffered from include Erb’s palsy and cerebral palsy.

Birth statistics are constantly changing especially when it comes to birthing injuries. However, most newborn medical statistics are often unable to reveal whether or not an injury is due to the a physician's mistake. For example, here in the U.S., approximately 10 percent of cerebral palsy cases are caused by the lack of oxygen to the brain during the birthing process. It is quite difficult to decipher whether it is due to a physician’s negligence or simply a non-preventable natural cause. Injuries that occur from a doctor or any other medical staff member should be held accountable for his or her mistakes.

Here are a few birth injury statistics, taken from national insurance medical reports, that every parent should consider:

• 14 Percent of injuries at birth do not transpire until the child is of school age.
• Out of every 100,000 babies born, 134 will die because of a birth injury.
• For every 1,000 births in hospitals, there’s 6.11 injuries.
• 6 out of 1,000 babies are born with mild to severe birth injuries. These injuries range from neurological disorders to cerebral palsy and bone fractures. Approximately, 20 percent of infant fatalities are due to birth injuries.
• Approximately, 3 newborns are injured at birth every hour - that’s 28,000 newborn injuries annually.
• 20 Percent of baby fatalities occur during the birthing process.
• Additionally, there are 38 different clinical types of birth injuries. Only 2 of these injuries have shown a drop since 1989.

• The greatest amount of birth injured happen in facilities. There are approximately, 8.57 injuries for every 1,000 births (in 300-499 hospital beds)
• 7.15 injuries out of 1,000 births occurred in non-profit hospitals.
• A total of 5.36 injuries per 1,000 births occurred in medical facilities.
• Medical facilities with more than 500 beds report 7.1 birth injuries per 1,000 beds.
• An estimated 5.45 injuries per 1,000 births happen in medical facilities with 100-299 beds.

According to medical reports, the hospitals with the highest birth injuries have the highest number of patients. If your child is suffering from a birth injury, you have the right to sue for medical malpractice and collect financial compensation. Fighting for compensation will not only benefit your child, it will help spread awareness and help prevent birth injuries.

At Anzalone Law Firm PLLC, we will help fight for your legal rights and pursue compensation that can be used to help pay for your child’s medical expenses. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation by calling 603.548.3797.