Investigation launched into babies cut during cesarean sections

The Dutch association for obstetrics and gynecology NVOG is launching an investigation into how best to prevent babies from getting cuts during a cesarean section, chairman Jan van Lith confirmed to AD after a report in the newspaper of this happening to a baby boy from Noord-Brabant received a "storm of responses".

Cut wounds to babies during a C-section is currently not registered as a complication, but is something that does happen. "Everyone knows this, this is something that can happen," Van Lith said to the newspaper. "We do not have the impression that it is common. But the knives are razor sharp and in certain situations, the chance that your child will be hit is a bit bigger."

"For example, if there is no more amniotic fluid or if the uterine wall is very thin or very thick," he explained. "Then you also have the circumstances. If you have all the time in the world, you can work calmly, but with an emergency cesarean section the child has to get out quickly. Otherwise it might die."

After AD alerted the NVOG of the responses it got to its article about a baby boy from Noord-Brabant who will receive compensation from the Catharina Hospital in Eindhoven due to a cut sustained while he was being delivered through C-section, the association will launch an investigation. "We will further investigate how often it occurs in the Netherlands, whether and which improvements are possible," Van Lith said.

Part of the investigation will be whether it is necessary to include possible cuts in information provided to parents.