P10: Intracranial laceration and haemorrhage due to birth injury

P10.4: Tentorial tear due to birth injury

There is a taut membrane inside the head. It is located at the back of the head. There, it is stretched sideways and separates certain areas of the brain from one another.

The various bones of a child's skull have not yet fused properly at the time of birth. This enables the child to pass through the birth canal more easily. It also enables the head to grow more easily during childhood. During birth, the narrow birth canal presses against the skull. As a result the skull bones are pushed slightly against one another. If the cranial bones move more than usual, the taut membrane inside the child’s head can tear. There can then be bleeding in the head. This can happen if, for example, the child is born from an unusual position in the womb. The taut membrane can also tear if tools are used during the birth. Such tools might include a forceps or vacuum cup, for example. These tools sometimes need to be used if there are difficulties with the birth.