Shoulder Dystocia

What is Shoulder Dystocia?

Shoulder dystocia is a serious delivery complication that occurs when a baby’s shoulder becomes lodged behind the mother’s pelvic bone. Resolving it requires a precise sequence of medical manoeuvres to safely free the shoulder and deliver the baby.

What Can Happen When Mistakes Are Made?

This complication can cause serious harm to both mother and baby. Mothers may experience excessive bleeding or severe tears. Babies are at risk of brain damage—often leading to cerebral palsy—as well as broken bones (clavicle or humerus) or nerve injuries involving the brachial plexus.

Brachial plexus injuries can result in partial or complete paralysis of the arm. Erb’s palsy typically affects the upper arm, while Klumpke palsy can cause weakness or deformities in the hand. These injuries may interfere with basic motor development and often require multiple surgeries, therapy, and orthopedic support.

Common Mistakes

Shoulder dystocia is an obstetric emergency. There are protocols in place to prevent shoulder dystocia injuries. When these protocols are not followed, preventable injuries may result.

Common errors include:

• Failure to address common shoulder dystocia risk factors (such as larger babies, gestational diabetes or maternal obesity)
• Failure to recognize a shoulder dystocia during delivery
• Improper use of shoulder dystocia maneuvers
• Use of undue force during delivery
• Failure to recommend a cesarean section