medical professionals performing surgery
Julie Hambleton
Julie Hambleton
June 20, 2022 ·  4 min read

Newborn’s face sliced open during emergency C-section

We’ve made many medical advancements that have made giving birth a much safer process. Still, now matter what kind of birth you have, there are risks. This family experienced one first-hand when this Colorado mom had to give birth via emergency cesarean section. The doctors cut her newborn’s face when performing the procedure.

Family Pursuing Legal Action After Doctors Cut Their Baby’s Face During Cesarean

This Colorado family’s joy of bringing their daughter into the world was marred by an accident their doctor made during delivery. Reazjhana Williams planned on delivering her baby, Kyanni, naturally. However, during the labor process, the doctors were suddenly unable to find the baby’s heartbeat. For this reason, they took Reazjhana into surgery immediately to deliver via cesarean section. (1)

“They said our baby made a sudden movement, they couldn’t hear her heartbeat or find it and they took her into an immediate C-section,” said father Damarqus.

a baby who sustained a cut from a c section
Image Credit: GoFundMe

When they delivered Kyanni, however, she came out with a huge gash across her face. That cut required the doctors to take her away immediately. They had to use 13 stitches on Kyanni’s tiny little face. Damarqus said the doctors told them that Kyanni’s face was close to the placenta wall, which is how the cut happened.

Family Frustration

Naturally, the mother, father, and grandparents were all quite upset over the situation. The fear of seeing the newborn bleeding like that took away from the moment of joy of celebrating this new family member. The family felt rather frustrated by the whole situation.

a baby who sustained a cut from a c section
Image Credit: Facebook

“To have your granddaughter born to come out to see the plastic surgeon, to get 13 stitches, is devastating, it’s heartbreaking,” said grandfather Walter Williams. “I’ve never heard of anybody having to deal with their baby’s face looking like this after a C-section,” 

The family set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for a lawyer, but the fundraiser is no longer accepting donations. They were able to raise over $11,000. They wish to explore their legal options so they can hold those responsible accountable for what happened.

Read: Moms Are Sharing Powerful Photos To End C-Section Shaming

The Safety of C-Sections

Delivering a baby via cesarean, or c-section, is a surgical procedure. It involves making an incision in the abdominal wall and uterus to deliver a baby rather than naturally through the vagina. They are used in emergency situations, but can also be planned depending on certain pregnancy complications. (2)

More women in the United States give birth via c-section than you might realize. In fact, nearly 32% of births in America are c-sections. (3) Often, at least for first c-sections, it is unknown that it is necessary until the mother is already in labor. There are a number of reasons why a doctor might recommend a c-section. These include:

  • Labor isn’t progressing normally
  • The baby is in distress
  • The baby or babies are in unusual positions
  • You’re carrying twins or multiples
  • There is a problem with the placenta
  • You have a prolapsed umbilical cord
  • There is a health concern or a blockage
  • You’ve had a previous c-section or uterine surgery

It is possible to request a c-section. If you plan on having more children, however, a doctor may advise against it.

Can You Have More Than One C-Section?

Yes, you can. You can also deliver vaginally after having had a c-section. You will need to discuss with your doctor, however, what will be best for you. Having a c-section can make delivering your next baby naturally more complicated. Depending on your c-section and the circumstances, it is possible to have a natural birth after a c-section, however, in some cases, it is not. For this reason, if you are planning on having more children, your doctor will likely try to avoid the surgery. 

That being said, having multiple cesareans can also cause problems of their own. These risks include:

  • uterine rupture
  • bladder complications
  • bowel adhesions or lacerations
  • omentum adhesions
  • blood vessel complications
  • excessive bleeding
  • need for blood transfusions
  • Hysterectomy

There are recommendations that women who have given birth via a c-section should wait at least 18 months before getting pregnant again. This will allow the body sufficient time to heal before going through the process of pregnancy all over again. Allowing the healing to happen will lessen the likelihood of complications however you decide to give birth the next time.

Keep Reading: A Baby was Born ‘Pregnant” and an Emergency C-Section was Performed to Remove Her Own Sibling

Sources

  1. Colorado newborn’s face sliced open during emergency C-section.” NY Post. Jackie Salo. June 21, 2021.
  2. C-section.” Mayo Clinic
  3. Here’s What You Need to Know About Having Multiple C-Sections.” Healthline. Sara Lindberg. October 21, 2020