San Antonio Infant Cephalohematoma Lawyer

What is a Cephalohematoma?

Newborn cephalohematoma is a type of birth injury characterized by a collection of blood under the scalp but on top of the skull. “Cephalo” refers to the baby’s head, and “hematoma” refers to pooled blood from ruptured blood vessels.

Cephalohematoma Symptoms

The most common symptom of infant cephalohematoma is an obvious collection of blood under the baby’s scalp. This pooled blood may create a large soft bulge on the infant’s head. Other symptoms that may accompany newborn cephalohematomas include:

• Anemia, which means that the baby has low red blood cell count
• Jaundice which is yellowing of the skin
• Infection
• Head swelling
• Difficulty feeding
• General fussiness and crying

Types of Newborn Hematomas

There are two main types of newborn hematomas, and they include:

• Acute Infant Hematoma develops immediately after birth or very soon after birth.
• Chronic Infant Hematoma develops within several days or weeks after birth.

Is Cephalohematoma Normal?

An infant cephalohematoma is one of the most common birth injuries out there. In fact, the Cleveland Clinic claims that a cephalohematoma occurs in approximately 2.5% of stressful vaginal deliveries. The chances of a cephalohematoma occurring is even higher with assisted delivery techniques, such as vacuum extraction. In cases like this, the Cleveland Clinic claims that newborn cephalohematoma occurs in 1 out of every 10 babies delivered like this.

Cephalohematoma Causes

Newborn cephalohematomas happen during the birthing process. Labor and delivery are very physically traumatic for both the newborn and the mother. It’s very easy for the baby’s head to sustain so much pressure in the birth canal that it causes delicate blood vessels to rupture. Additionally, it’s common for an infant’s head to hit the mother’s pelvic area during the delivery process.

Newborn Cephalohematoma Risk Factors

A baby’s risk of developing a cephalohematoma is much higher during long, difficult births and/or births involving assisted delivery techniques such as vacuum extraction. Other common risk factors for newborn cephalohematoma include:

• Fetal macrosomia, which is when a baby weighs more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces
• Multiple babies being born at once (twins, triplets, etc.)
• Receiving an epidural for pain relief during childbirth
• Weak uterine contractions
• Abnormal fetal position, such as breech (feet first) or posterior (face up)

Are Newborn Cephalohematomas Permanent?

No, newborn cephalohematoma is not permanent. The condition will gradually resolve, often without much medical treatment, over the course of a few weeks to a few months.

As a cephalohematoma begins to heal, you may notice the soft bulge on the newborn’s scalp become harder. That’s because the blood is beginning to calcify. Slowly, the bulge will shrink as the blood disappears. You may notice that the bulge shrinks first in the middle, leaving hard outside edges. In other words, the bulge may resemble a crater during the healing process.

Can Cephalohematoma Cause Brain Damage or Affect Brain Development?

Ruptured blood vessels under the baby’s scalp rarely ever affect brain development. In most cases, a chronic or acute infant hematoma on the head doesn’t lead to any major complications. While a large bulge on a baby’s head is upsetting to look at, especially after a difficult birth, rest assured that your baby will likely recover and develop normally.