The journey of a baby from uterus to the outside world is a dangerous journey. The skull has to mould to facilitate passage through the pelvis and there may be cephalo-pelvic disproportion (CPD). Malposition increases risk whilst malpresentation demands caesarian section. Contractions tax the reserve of the placenta. The lungs and circulation undergo great changes. Difficulties in delivery may compound the situation. Delivery may need to be expedited because of fetal distress.

Injuries may be caused by a combination of mechanical trauma and hypoxia but this article will concentrate on mechanical injuries.

Birth injuries may be minor and transient but they can produce serious and permanent effect as well as being fatal. It used to be assumed that most cases of cerebral palsy were due to obstetric mismanagement but nowadays the figure for those caused by obstetric trauma is put at around 5%.


The Factors That Increases The Risk Factors of Skull Injuries During Pregnancy

* The size of baby especially if weighing more than 4,500g
* Instrumental delivery, especially midcavity forceps or ventouse delivery for deep transverse arrest
* Breech delivery.
* A premature baby has a small head and incompletely formed skull and precipitate delivery can cause "champagne cork popping", risking intracranial haemorrhage.
* Shoulder dystocia
* A skilled midwife or obstetrician will reduce the risk
* Cephalopelvic disproportion

These are some of the hideous facts about tenage pregnancy that we can not ignore in present day scenario. So we have to keep the following information in mind.

• Each year the federal government alone spends $40 billion to help families that began with a teenage birth.
• Nearly 80% of unmarried teen mothers end up on welfare.
• The sons of teenage mothers are 13% more likely to end up in prison, the daughters are 22 % more likely to become teen mothers themselves.
• 3 in 10 girls will experience at least one pregnancy before reaching age 20.
• Only 41% of teenage mothers graduate from high school and only 1.5% will earn a college degree by age 30.
• Nearly 80% of fathers of babies born to teen mothers do not marry their babies mothers.

• Babies born to teenage mothers are less likely to receive proper nutrition, health care, and cognitive and social stimulation. As a result, they may have an underdeveloped intellect and attain lower academic achievement.

• Baby Girls born to teenage mothers are 22% more likely to become teenage mothers.

• Babies born to teenage mothers are at greater risk for abuse and neglect.

• Baby Boys born to teenage mothers are 13% more likely to be incarcerated.

It is easy to quit smoking -- anyone can do it, for a brief time but not taking it up again -- that is the part that has proven so difficult for most people, especially those who have been exposed to nicotine before birth.

Researches have suggested that at pregnant women should quit smoking to avoid exposing their unborn children to nicotine, and that they should do so without the use of nicotine products such as patches or gums that also present a risk to the baby.

Smoking during pregnancy can harm the baby in ways that extend far beyond preterm delivery or low birth weight. It may cause changes in the brain development of the baby that can last a lifetime.The researchers studied two groups of rats: those that had been exposed to nicotine prenatally and those that had not. Initially, both groups of rats consumed nicotine at the same rates -- about ten hits per session. After four weeks, the researchers forced the rats to go "cold turkey" for a week, during which they had no access to nicotine. Once the scientists restored access to nicotine again, they witnessed a dramatic difference in the rates at which the two groups resumed the habit. The rats that had been exposed prenatally took nearly double the nicotine hits compared with those that had not.

While the rates of smoking in the United States are declining, approximately a quarter of Americans have mothers who smoked during pregnancy. Previous studies have shown these individuals have a higher chance of sudden infant death syndrome, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, obesity and even of becoming a lifelong smoker themselves.