Mechanical Forces Injury
March 29, 2006Injuries to the infant resulting from mechanical forces (ie, compression, traction) during the process of birth are categorized as birth trauma. Factors responsible for mechanical injury may coexist with hypoxic-ischemic insult; one may predispose the infant to the other. Lesions that are predominantly hypoxic in origin are not discussed in this article. Significant birth injury accounts for fewer than 2% of neonatal deaths and stillbirths in the United States; it still occurs with an average of 6-8 injuries per 1000 live births. In general, larger infants are more susceptible to birth trauma.