Maternal and neonatal nerves injuries during delivery

Abstract

Peripheral nerve injuries in the mother and newborn during delivery represent two obstetrical challenges, for which we try to find the best results both from the point of view of diagnosis and therapeutic strategy. The mother’s lesions can be due to obstetric trauma and neuraxial anesthesia, while fetal injuries are mainly caused by obstetric trauma due to instrumental vaginal delivery but also secondary to abnormal presentations, macrosomia, and deficiencies regarding perinatal monitoring during spontaneous vaginal birth. In most cases, these lesions resolve spontaneously, or if they persist, conservative treatment or surgical correction is necessary. Peripheral nerve injuries in the mother and the newborn continue to remain a challenge addressed to obstetricians and neonatologists, as in-depth, randomized studies are needed to develop clinical guidelines that can be applied.