No parent expects to walk into a hospital excited to meet their baby and walk out with a lifetime of uncertainty. But that’s the cruel reality for some families when something goes wrong during childbirth. Brain injuries at birth aren’t common, but when they happen, they change everything.

So, here’s the hard question: could it have been prevented?

In many cases, the answer isn’t simple. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be asking it, especially when it comes to what hospitals did (or didn’t) do. Because when a newborn suffers a brain injury, every second, every decision, every missed sign matters.

Was proper monitoring in place?

One of the most basic responsibilities during labour is to monitor the baby’s condition. That includes watching their heart rate closely. It’s how midwives and doctors track whether the baby is in distress and whether intervention is needed.

When monitoring is missed or misread, the consequences can be devastating.

Was continuous foetal monitoring used during labour?

Were abnormal patterns identified and escalated appropriately?

If signs of distress appeared, how quickly did staff act?

When a brain injury at birth is preventable, it often means early signs were there, just ignored, delayed, or misjudged. And that delay can mean the difference between a healthy brain and permanent damage.

Did the response to complications happen fast enough?

Labour can take unexpected turns. That doesn’t always mean something has gone wrong; many complications can be managed safely. The problem is when the response isn’t quick enough.

Certain conditions raise red flags right away:

• Umbilical cord problems
• Prolonged or obstructed labour
• Excessive bleeding or maternal infection
• Signs the baby isn’t getting enough oxygen (hypoxia)

If these show up, it’s not a time for wait-and-see. Hospitals need clear protocols and the confidence to act fast, whether that means calling in senior staff, using forceps, or proceeding to an emergency caesarean.

Delays in decision-making can have irreversible effects. A few minutes may not sound like much, but for a baby being deprived of oxygen, every second counts.

Were staff properly trained and equipped?

Even the best equipment means nothing if staff don’t know how—or when—to use it. That’s why training isn’t optional. It’s the backbone of safe maternity care.

Yet time and again, families are told after the fact that someone made an error in judgment. Often, it’s because:

• A junior doctor didn’t recognise the warning signs
• A midwife hesitated to escalate concerns
• A decision-maker wasn’t present when needed

Hospitals must ensure everyone involved in maternity care, from student midwives to consultants, is confident in managing emergencies. That means regular training, simulations, and supervision. No one should be left guessing in the delivery room.

Did communication break down?

Sometimes the issue isn’t equipment or knowledge. It’s that staff didn’t speak up, or they did and no one listened.

Communication failures are one of the most common themes in medical negligence cases, especially in maternity.

Imagine a scenario where a midwife notices the baby’s heart rate is dipping. They mention it, but nothing happens. Or a parent raises concerns about reduced movements in the days leading up to labour, but they’re brushed off.

These aren’t just unfortunate moments. They’re missed chances to prevent harm.

Hospitals should be fostering a culture where:

• Staff feel safe raising concerns, even to senior colleagues
• Families are listened to and taken seriously
• Information is clearly handed over during shift changes

Because when no one speaks up—or when no one listens—the risk of mistakes skyrockets.

Was enough done to prevent oxygen deprivation?

Lack of oxygen is one of the most common causes of brain injury at birth. The medical term is hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). It can happen when something interrupts the baby’s oxygen supply during labour or delivery.

But here’s the key point: many of these cases are preventable.

That doesn’t mean every case. Some babies develop complications that no one could have predicted. But too often, there were signs. And too often, the baby could have been delivered sooner, or resuscitated quicker, if the right actions had been taken.

Hospitals should always ask:

Was the baby showing signs of distress that were ignored or misunderstood?

Was there a delay in deciding to perform an emergency caesarean?

Was neonatal resuscitation started immediately and correctly?

These aren’t just technical questions. They’re questions that go to the heart of accountability.

So, can it be prevented?

Not every brain injury at birth can be avoided. That’s the honest truth. But many can.

And the key lies in preparation, training, vigilance, and courage – the courage to act fast, to escalate, to ask hard questions, and to hold systems accountable.

Hospitals need to stop hiding behind medical jargon and start facing the realities that families live with every day. When a baby is injured at birth, it’s not just a tragic outcome. It’s a call to review, to learn, and most importantly, to prevent it from happening again.