I would like to clarify a point attributed to me in a recent article in the Epsom Guardian.
The majority of pregnancies are very straightforward and uncomplicated and they lead to the birth of a well baby.
In a minority of instances a baby can get into difficulty.
For example, one of these instances could be a lack of oxygen. In this instance a doctor would be required to intervene.
The Royal College of Gynaecology (source below) and the international cerebral palsy task force states that in the situation of a baby’s head getting stuck before delivery there are only five minutes before the baby gets a serious brain injury due to a lack of oxygen.
Source: RCOG Green-top Guideline on Shoulder Dystocia No. 42, 2nd edition published | March 2012 and Leung TYet al paper Head-to- body delivery interval and risk of fetal acidosis and hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy in shoulder dystocia: a retrospective review published in British Journal in Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2011;118:474–9
Mr Hassan Shehata, Joint Clinical Director of Women and Children’s Services Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust
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