Shoulder dystocia refers to a medical complication that occurs when the baby’s shoulder becomes stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone during delivery. When not handled properly, shoulder dystocia can result in serious injuries such as brachial plexus palsy, bone fractures and lacerations, among other things.

While there are a number of risk factors for shoulder dystocia (e.g. maternal diabetes, large birth weight baby, small pelvic bones), the complication can and often does occur without warning. However, a Canadian doctor had developed software that can predict the probability of this complication in women who have reached 37 weeks of pregnancy.

Called the CALM Shoulder Screen, the software system considers such factors as the mother’s height and weight to calculate the risk of shoulder dystocia. Though relatively new, CALM is already being used by obstetricians across the country.

If you’re concerned about your pregnancy, you may want to consider asking your doctor about the risk of complications during delivery and what emergency plans are in place to handle any problems that arise. Some, though not all, birth injuries are preventable with proper planning and care.

Tags: "birth injury" "brachial plexus injuries" "shoulder dystocia" "medical negligence"