Investigating the Causes of Newborn Injuries in Childbirth Processes in the Cases Referred to the Legal Medical Department of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Provinces During the Years 2010-2020

Birth injuries can be defined as a disruption in the function of the baby's body due to adverse events during birth, which can be avoidable or unavoidable. Despite careful antenatal care, birth trauma usually occurs in long and difficult labors or fetal malformations, although it may also occur in deliveries that are initially unproblematic. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine and investigate the causes of newborn injuries in childbirth processes in the cases referred to the legal medical department of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad province, Iran, during the years 2010-2020.

The present retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with the aim of investigating newborn injuries during childbirth. Its statistical population includes all complaint cases in the fields of gynecology and midwifery in the Forensic Medicine Department of Kohgiluyeh and Boyar Ahmad provinces during 10 years (2010-2020). The data collection tool included a checklist and a form containing the desired information, which was prepared and completed by the researcher using the files referred to the Department of Legal Medical Commissions. The collected data were analyzed using chi-square statistical tests.

The results indicated that 58 cases were investigated, 39 babies died at birth or shortly after birth and the reason for their complaint was the death of the baby, 19 babies were born alive and the reason for their complaint was birth injury. Infant injuries include; hypoxic-ischemic as the most common injury; Neuro-skeletal injuries, which include Orb-Duchen's paralysis as the most common injury in this group, and bone fractures, including; Fractures were humerus, clavicle, scapula and femur. 39 babies died, of which 10 babies had nerve damage, 8 people died of meconium aspiration, 4 people died due to asphyxia and other cases, moreover the results exposed that one person had a bruised tissue damage.

The results of the present study indicated that the causes of infant mortality and the disorders that occur in them can be influenced by various factors, and by identifying the cause of errors and omissions, preventable maternal and infant complications can be reduced.