New York Presbytarian study

[Ken. Levine]

Recently a very important study concerning patient safety was published by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology's patient safety series. ACOG has not been a friend to the brachial plexus community and most recently has fully supported the nonsense that the children are injured by the mothers maternal forces prior to the application of traction on the baby's head by the ob/gyn. For that reason, it was surprising to see ACOG publish a study confirming what we have always argued, that better training and more care will eliminate most of, if not all, birth injuries, including brachial plexus injuries.

The principal author of the study is Amos Gruenbaum, M.D. the Chief of Labor & Delivery at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center. I know Dr. Grunebaum personally and he is a brilliant doctor and wonderful person.

The study does mention shoulder dystocia and how with proper training New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center, the largest maternity hospital in New York City, has been able to avoid permanent brachial plexus injuries.

It is hoped that other hospitals will follow the lead of Dr. Grunebaum and New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center and better train ob/gyn's to avoid the excessive traction that causes brachial plexus injuries. It is excessive traction, often caused by poor training, and not the mothers maternal forces that causes brachial plexus injury.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/49879103/Colu ... fety-Study

Ken Levine
617-566-2700
Klevine@Klevinelaw.com
http://www.Klevinelaw.com

[Carolyn J]

A-MEN,Louise!!!!
Carolyn J
LOBPI/72+++

[jmar]

general question: if my BPI was an injury, would insurance or disability not recognize it? or is it just birth injuries that are not recognized? being the same injury (BPI) would that make a difference? i do realize the 2 are different, but basically the same. just a question

[richinma2005]

ANother study showed up in ACOG journal as well!

http://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378( ... 4/abstract

Conclusion
Shoulder dystocia training was associated with a lower incidence of OBPI and the incidence of OBPI in births complicated by shoulder dystocia.

[Kath]

Thanks Rich and Ken for posting this information.

My Gyno told me his office had drills on SD deliveries. He was the first Gyno to even mention my arm, most tried to ignore it or assure me that the injure saved my life. I wish more doctors would review the methods and manuvers needed to delivery a baby without injury.

Kath

[claudia]

We moved to SC about a year and a half ago and I had to find all new docs. Of course the last on my list was a gyn. I was recommended to a lovely woman by a tennis-playing friend who is an L&D nurse. When I told her my history, she didn't blink. She told me that in med school she was taught about not panicking, taking their time, trying (as long as there wasn't an epidural) to change positions and that they had used the "birthing doll" to practice on. I was impressed with her knowledge and that she wasn't at all judgmental about what I had experienced. She agreed that doctors can make mistakes, that they need to own up to them when they do and that with increased training, birth injuries can be avoided.

Perhaps the tide is changing. We can only hope and keep talking. Someone is bound to be listening.

claudia