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Ronnie Falcao, LM MS, a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA

Fetal Lacerations from Cesarean

Obstet Gynecol 1997 Sep;90(3):344-346
Fetal laceration injury at cesarean delivery.
Smith JF, Hernandez C, Wax JR
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Joseph Hospital, Denver, Colorado, USA.

METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted using a computer-based data coding system. All neonatal records were reviewed for infants delivered by cesarean during a 2-year period. Maternal records were reviewed in those cases of documented fetal laceration injury. The Fisher exact test was used when indicated.

RESULTS: There were 904 cesarean deliveries performed during the study period; of these, 896 neonatal records (98.4%) were available for review. Seventeen laceration injuries were recorded (1.9%). The incidence of laceration appeared higher when the indication for cesarean was nonvertex (6.0% versus 1.4%, P = .02). One of 17 (5.9%) maternal records indicated the presence of the laceration of the fetus.

CONCLUSION: Fetal laceration injury at cesarean delivery is not rare, especially when it is performed for nonvertex presentation. The minority of obstetric records show documentation of such lacerations, suggesting that this complication often may not be recognized by obstetricians.

[from ob-gyn-l]

In a first OBV with a client this week I noted a large keloidal scar on her left hand. She said it was the result of a severe laceration she suffered at birth from the surgeons knife that performed a section to deliver her. Interestingly, her brother incurred a severe laceration to the left side of his face and left eye resulting in blindness in that eye.....same surgeon, two years later.