Most women go through labor with the hope of having an uneventful delivery. This isn’t always the case. Sometimes, things don’t go as planned and the woman will need help to deliver the baby. One option for this is a vacuum extraction. This involves using a special device to help guide the baby down the birth canal. While it can help with the delivery, it comes with risks.
The vast majority of these deliveries go as planned and without harm. There is a chance that the mother could later suffer from fecal or urinary incontinence or experience trouble urinating. Genital tract tears and perineal pain are also possible. While the risk of those is increased slightly with a vacuum extraction, women who have a normal vaginal delivery might also suffer from those problems.
The baby also faces some risks. There is a chance of shoulder dystocia, which occurs when the baby’s shoulder gets stuck in the birth canal after the head has already come out. Scalp wounds, intracranial bleeding, and skull fractures are also possible. It is very rare but still possible for a baby to suffer serious injuries because of the vacuum delivery.
Doctors usually only use this method for delivery when there are indications that the baby needs to come out quickly or if there are signs that the woman is experiencing maternal distress. For the most part, the benefits outweigh the risks that both patients face. When something does happen that causes serious injuries, the woman might choose to seek compensation for medical malpractice if there was negligence involved in the incident.
