P12.1: Chignon due to birth injury
The bones in the skull are called cranial bones. Many different cranial bones together form the framework for the head and face. The scalp covers the cranial bones. Beneath the scalp and on the skull bones there are different blood vessels that supply nutrients and oxygen to the tissue.
The child is subjected to great pressure during a vaginal birth. This pressure is necessary for the child to be born through the pelvis and the vagina. The pressure, along with the narrow birth canal, can pinch the child’s blood vessels.
When there is pressure on blood vessels beneath the scalp, fluid can come out. The fluid collects beneath the scalp. You may be able to see or feel the collected fluid as a swelling on the head. Pressure can be put on blood vessels in the head if the birth takes longer than usual.
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