What Birth Injuries Could Be Caused by Inducing Labor?

 Posted on July 27, 2026 in Birth Injury

Timing is a critical issue in a baby’s birth. When labor is not progressing normally, doctors may need to induce or speed up labor using various medical techniques. Unfortunately, labor induction is not without its risks. Mothers and babies can suffer birth injuries when labor is not induced properly, labor is prolonged, or the doctors fail to recognize the need for an emergency C-section.

At Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd., our Chicago, IL birth injury lawyers can help you take legal action when a doctor’s negligence results in real harm. Attorney Allen Schwartz is a champion for injured mothers and infants, having secured multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements in various claims.

Why Would a Doctor Induce Labor?

Labor induction involves methods that stimulate uterine contractions and speed up the birth of a baby. A doctor might recommend labor induction when a pregnant woman is more than two weeks overdue, or medical concerns make induction the safest choice. Placental abruption, gestational diabetes, infections, and pre-labor rupture of membranes may all cause a doctor to recommend labor induction.

Doctors have a legal "duty of care" to provide reasonably skillful medical care to patients. This includes thoroughly assessing the situation and determining what course of action is in the mother and baby’s best interests. If the risks associated with labor induction are lower than the risks of continuing without inducing labor, the doctor will suggest labor induction.

What Can Go Wrong During Labor Induction?

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), labor induction fails in 20 percent of induced pregnancies. If labor induction does not produce the desired results, the mother may need an emergency C-section.

Doctors have a very limited window of time during which they must determine if an emergency C-section is necessary. A delayed C-section can lead to significant birth injuries to the baby, including brain damage.

Certain medications used to induce labor, including Pitocin and Cytotec (synthetic versions of the hormones prostaglandin and oxytocin), can cause abnormal contractions that lead to low fetal heart rate and reduced oxygen to the baby. The infant may suffer from brain injuries including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), and cystic encephalomalacia. Mothers may also suffer injuries caused by labor induction, including Infections, bleeding, and a serious complication called uterine rupture.

What Kind of Errors Can Happen During a C-Section?

When labor induction fails, the doctor may pivot to a C-section. This is a major surgery, and it should be handled carefully. Doctors must take decisive action to protect both the mother and the baby.

When a doctor rushes or ignores warning signs, serious mistakes can happen. A surgeon might cut too deep and injure the baby's skin or a nerve. A doctor might pull the baby out with too much force, causing a fracture or nerve damage. Surgical tools can also cause harm if they are used incorrectly during delivery.

Anesthesia errors are another risk during a C-section. Giving the wrong dose, or giving it too late, can affect the mother's health and the baby's oxygen supply. A surgical team can also fail to control bleeding properly, which can put both mother and baby at risk. Any of these errors can lead to a lasting injury that affects a child for years.

How Do You Prove a Doctor Was at Fault for a Labor Induction Injury in 2026?

To succeed in a claim, you must show that the doctor did not provide the standard of care that another reasonable doctor would have provided in the same situation. This often requires medical records, expert testimony, and a clear timeline of what happened during labor.

Your attorney will likely work with a medical expert who can review the case and explain how the doctor's actions fell short. This expert can testify about the correct use of induction drugs, proper monitoring during labor, and the steps a doctor should take when complications arise. Proving fault also means showing that the doctor's error, not some other factor, caused the injury.

What Is an Affidavit of Merit, and Why Is it Important for a Labor Induction Injury Claim?

An affidavit of merit is a signed statement from your attorney. This affidavit says that, after reviewing the case with a medical professional, there is a reasonable basis to believe medical negligence occurred. The affidavit must include a written report from the medical professional. Illinois law requires this document in most medical malpractice cases, including labor induction injury claims.

Without this affidavit, a court can dismiss your case before it even begins. This requirement exists to prevent claims that have no real medical support. Because of this rule, it is important to work with an attorney early so the affidavit can be prepared correctly and filed within the required time.

How Long Do You Have to File a Claim for an Induced Labor Injury in Illinois?

In most cases, Illinois law gives you two years from the date of the injury to file a medical malpractice claim. When the injury involves a child, the rules can be different. In cases involving infants, parents have eight years maximum from the date of the injury to file a claim on behalf of a child (735 ILCS 5/13-212).

These deadlines can pass quickly, especially while a family is focused on a child's medical care and recovery. Missing the filing deadline can prevent you from recovering any compensation, no matter how strong your case may be.

Contact a Cook County, IL Birth Injury Lawyer to Learn More

When labor is not progressing normally, doctors may choose to induce labor. However, labor induction is associated with certain risks that can cause significant or even fatal harm to the infant or mother.

If negligent medical care before, during, or after labor induction causes injury to an infant or mother, the doctor who acted negligently may be liable for damages. The mother and the family may be entitled to financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages from missed work, pain and suffering, and more.

To learn more, call an experienced Chicago, IL labor induction injury attorney at Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd. Call 312-462-4200 for a free consultation.