Forceps Delivery (sad and graphic story)

WashingtonQueen

On December 28th a baby girl's skull was crushed and her spinal cord severed during a forceps delivery.

Risks of forceps delivery include-

• Minor facial injuries due to the pressure of the forceps
• Temporary weakness in the facial muscles (facial palsy)
• Minor external eye trauma
• Skull fracture
• Bleeding within the skull
• Seizures

"Please keep in mind that whenever a forceps delivery is recommended, a C-section is typically also an option."

This baby girl's death could have been avoided and the doctor and hospital are being sued.

It is important to know your options before you go into the delivery room!

Sending all my love to the family during this time.

Link to story - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2533493/We-heard-pop-like-pottery-cracking-Parents-heartbroken-baby-girl-dies-skull-spine-broken-forceps-delivery.html

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/oliviamariecoats

PrimRoseMama

( this is just wrong on so many levels

WashingtonQueen

PrimRoseMama said:

( this is just wrong on so many levels

I know, my heart hurts for them.

redheeler

This amazes me because the other part of the story was that she asked for the c section.
Such a sad sad story :-( my thoughts are with the family.

dunvilles

This is horrible and so scary. The poor parents and baby girl.

flkong

This breaks my heart. The OB is incompetent and deserves to never practice. Forceps are old school and no longer an option for doctors who practice safely. 

mcgeeva

Feel traumatized reading this stuff. Can't even imagine. Now I'm 100% happy I'm having a csection

LEIGHLOVE09

Forceps were on my no list when delivering DD. Most of the docs used the vaccum in my practice except for one. I would have preferred c section to forceps. Luckily I didn't need either.

JuneMrs

This breaks my heart :-(

MayKay12

This is so sad! My dd was delivered by forceps. I won't let that happen again.

winterbaby1123

That's heartbreaking. She asked for a csection too and the doctor refused. I can't even imagine what the family is going thru.
My sister was delivered with forceps and half her face was paralyzed. That was in '86. She's fine now and I never really thought about how much worse it could've been.
My heart goes out to that family.

flkong

@savannah_girl Are you speaking from experience or what you've read? From my experience, forceps aren't used by most doctors anymore. There are some old school docs who will whip them out in a heartbeat.

Yes, there is a correct way and situation to use them. But even during those times, they still carry avoidable risk. The most experienced doctors have stop using them and opt for vacuum. 

I've seen horrible outcomes with forceps deliveries and I won't support their use. 

flkong

savannah_girl said:

fklang said:

@savannah_girl Are you speaking from experience or what you've read? From my experience, forceps aren't used by most doctors anymore. There are some old school docs who will whip them out in a heartbeat.

Yes, there is a correct way and situation to use them. But even during those times, they still carry avoidable risk. The most experienced doctors have stop using them and opt for vacuum. 

I've seen horrible outcomes with forceps deliveries and I won't support their use. 

From professional experience yes. Vacuums are used more. They are rare, but when used appropriately they are acceptable and safe. To be flat outlawed would not be the best route. And many of the newer Ob's are not comfortable using them.  

I did high risk perinatology/Labor and Delivery. About 90% of my patients were high risk. Our goal was to have a safe delivery from a healthy baby and mom. 

A fellow L&D nurse....lovely, so you'll understand everything I'm saying. I do high risk OB too and have been for 16 years. Most of my patients are high risk and I work in an area with high drug abuse so we see all types of mess. I hate forceps. 

Have you ever seen a patient ripped to a 4th degree, discharged with a foley and stool softeners because her ass is now the same orifice as her vagina with only 3.0 vicryl separating them? (Raises hand, I have). This Attending is the best at using forceps. But we both know how some pts lose their mind during 2nd stage labor and just can't help thrashing around so they rip like crazy. 

Or, have you ever seen a baby under bili lights for weeks because the facial bruising from the forceps made them jaundiced? Or, here's one better.... I heard of an ear almost being ripped off from the forceps. 

Seriously dude, from my experience I can tell you that most knowledgeable docs stopped using them. I started OB nursing when mid-inlet forceps were ok and vacuums were seldom used. Now ACOG recommends low-inlet use but we know some docs lie about the station and still do mid-inlet.

We have 1 old school doc left (the one mentioned above) who will ask for leiukart forceps. We'll tell him they're in sterilization and ask if he wants a vacuum instead. 

If they're used for maternal exhaustion, are low inlet  and the pt has a great epidural, cool....as long as it's not a big baby and descent was normal. Otherwise, I'd just rather them use a vacuum.

RibbitGrl930

I cried when I read about that a few days ao. That little girl was perfect in every way possible and should have gone home with her parents. I hadn't heard that the mother asked for a c-section. That makes me even more infurited. That doctor should never be allowed to practice again.

YummeeCookee

This is just so sad. My heart is breaking for them.

callmeJing

Awful, awful, heartbreaking story.  

christsgurl

Oh my goodness trying not to cry right now poor baby girl & I'm so heart broken for the parents. :-(
That is very sick that the doctor would do that on top of refusing to listen to the mom....

SmittyPants

MayKay12 said:

This is so sad! My dd was delivered by forceps. I won't let that happen again.

Mine too. It wasn't until after the fact that I realized how dangerous they are. Never again.