P14.2: Phrenic nerve paralysis due to birth injury

Many nerves run from the spinal cord and brain to the organs, skin and muscles in the body. Nerves are a sort of wiring in the body. Nerves conduct information. The nerves use electrical impulses to do this. Nerves are important, for instance, in enabling you to sense contacts and temperatures, and to move your muscles. A nerve network contains individual nerves that serve similar areas in the body.

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 injure the child’s nerves. The child may also suffer nerve injuries if the birth needs to be assisted by certain handholds. A nerve can get pulled or torn, for example. A nerve can also get pinched. There are a variety of indications that a child’s nerve is injured. The type of indication depends on which nerve is affected and the nerve's tasks.

If the nerve in the diaphragm is affected, the child may suffer breathing problems. The diaphragm is a large breathing muscle. The diaphragm separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. The diaphragm's breathing movements are controlled by the nerve in the diaphragm.