Newborn Baby Suffers Fracture In Right Hand During Delivery, Family Alleges Negligence

A newborn baby in India reportedly suffered a fracture in his right hand during a natural birth at a hospital, following which the child's family accused the staff of medical negligence.

The incident took place in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. According to the baby's family, the doctors and nurses acted negligently in handling the newborn during birth.

A 19-year-old woman, identified as S. Vasantha, was admitted to a hospital in the town of Krishnagiri for a natural birth. She then delivered the child on Oct. 20. However, the baby suffered shoulder dystocia, and his right hand was fractured.

The child was later sent to Hosur government hospital for further treatment, following which the baby's family and some members of local political parties protested, condemning the carelessness on the first medical center's part.

"A nurse and Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) sanitary worker conducted the delivery and informed me that the baby got entangled in the umbilical cord, and his right hand was broken. We were taken to Hosur GH in two ambulances. The baby is safe now and the doctor said it will take over six weeks for him to recover," the child's mother told the New Indian Express.

A doctor from the facility responded to the accusation, saying: "Vasantha suffered a postpartum hemorrhage and the baby was wrapped with the umbilical cord, but the nurse worked effectively and saved both of them. Due to the pressure, while delivering the baby, it faced shoulder dystocia, which fractured its right hand. They were referred to the Hosur GH as the hand of the baby was swollen."

Joint Director of Health P Paramasivan told DT Next he was unaware of the incident, but will launch an investigation.

Last month in the state of Rajasthan, a newborn baby died due to overheating of a warmer. The baby was admitted to the Mother and Child Hospital of the Mahatma Gandhi Government Hospital for being underweight. Another child was also injured due to overheating of a warmer at the same facility. The local authority said two contractual nursing staffers, who were on duty at the time of the incident, were terminated with immediate effect. The condition of the other baby who was injured was not immediately known.