How many bones are broken when giving birth?

Answered by Jarrod Smith

When giving birth, it is not uncommon for bone injuries to occur due to the physical strain and pressure exerted on the body during labor. However, the number of bones that are typically broken during childbirth can vary greatly from case to case.

In a study conducted on the incidence of bone injuries during birth, it was found that there were a total of 35 cases of bone fractures out of 1,000 live births. This means that the incidence of bone injuries during childbirth was approximately 1 per 1,000 births.

Among the cases of bone fractures, the clavicle was the most commonly fractured bone, accounting for 45.7% of all fractures. The clavicle, also known as the collarbone, is a long bone that connects the shoulder to the chest and can be vulnerable to injury during the birthing process.

Following the clavicle, the next most commonly fractured bones were the humerus (20%), femur (14.3%), and depressed skull fracture (11.4%). The humerus is the bone of the upper arm, while the femur is the bone of the thigh. A depressed skull fracture refers to a fracture in the skull that causes a depression in the bone.

It is important to note that these percentages represent the order of frequency of bone fractures during childbirth and not the total number of fractures. Therefore, it is difficult to determine an exact number of bones that are broken during childbirth based on this information alone.

Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that the incidence of bone injuries during childbirth can vary depending on various factors such as the mother’s anatomy, the size and position of the baby, the duration of labor, and the use of medical interventions such as forceps or vacuum extraction.

While bone injuries can occur during childbirth, the number of bones that are typically broken can vary greatly. The incidence of bone fractures during birth was found to be approximately 1 per 1,000 live births, with the clavicle being the most commonly fractured bone. However, it is important to remember that each childbirth experience is unique, and the occurrence of bone injuries can depend on several individual factors.