UK University leads study on brain injury caused at birth

The study is looking at how to reduce the number of cases of epilepsy in babies born with a brain injury. The worldwide leading cause of epilepsy in babies, is due to brain injury during the birthing process.

The study will be conducted in two hospitals in India where 60,000 women will take part and will take place over the course of 4 years.

Care bundles

Dr Sudhin Thayyil of Imperial College London said birth asphyxia related brain injury

“could be substantially reduced with a ‘care bundle’ that combines many key evidence-based elements which have been shown to reduce perinatal brain injury.”

Researchers believe that improved intra-partum care, the period between the onset of labour to the delivery of the placenta, could reduce the number of births resulting in brain damage.

The ‘care bundle’ is cited as including intelligent foetal heart rate monitoring, an e-partogram, brain oriented neonatal resuscitation and birth companions.

The scientists involved in the study hope that the findings of this trial in India could help babies not only in the UK, but on a worldwide scale.

Birth injury claims

Damage to the brain caused by a birth injury to a baby can result in many different manifestations. Common conditions that Blackwater Law help families to seek compensation for include Cerebral Palsy and Erb’s Palsy. However, any injury caused during birth can be investigated to see if was caused by medical negligence, and as such, eligible to proceed with a birth injury claim.

It is also possible that a birth injury to the mother is caused. Blackwater law have specialist birth injury solicitors who are able to give free initial advice with no obligation. So, contact us today and find out if you could make a compensation claim for medical negligence during birth.