A mother from Reims, France, has described the distress of watching her newborn daughter receive stitches after a surgeon accidentally cut the baby’s head during a planned caesarean section, in an experience made worse when her anaesthesia also failed to fully take effect.
A woman from Reims, France, named Hélène has spoken out after a surgeon accidentally cut into her baby daughter’s head while performing what was meant to be a routine, planned caesarean section, according to Hotrecentnews. It was Hélène’s third child, and unlike her previous births, this delivery had been scheduled as a caesarean from the outset. During the operation, the surgeon’s incision cut not only into Hélène’s abdomen but also into her daughter’s head, leaving the newborn needing six stitches.
A planned delivery takes an unexpected turn
Ahead of the surgery, Hélène met with the gynaecologist she described as a delightful presence, along with the anaesthesiologist, whom she said she trusted rather less. Once the anaesthesia had been administered, the operation began. It was during this procedure that the surgical incision unintentionally cut her daughter’s head, an injury requiring six stitches to close.
A response that fell short
Rather than receiving the apology she had expected from the surgeon, Hélène said she was instead told that the wounds were “only superficial.” According to the newspaper’s report, the hospital has since formally apologised to Hélène, although doctors involved in her care have maintained that this type of injury remains a recognised risk associated with caesarean deliveries.
When the anaesthesia also failed
Compounding her ordeal, Hélène said the anaesthesia administered ahead of the operation did not work as intended. She wrote on Facebook that she had felt everything during the procedure and that the pain had been unbearable. Regional anaesthesia, typically spinal or epidural, is the standard approach for planned caesarean sections, and while it is uncommon, some patients do experience inadequate pain relief, requiring additional medication or, in some cases, a switch to general anaesthesia. Anaesthetists monitor patients continuously throughout surgery specifically so that further anaesthetic or pain relief can be given if the original block proves insufficient.
Why this type of injury can happen
Speaking about the circumstances that can lead to injuries of this kind, midwife Ellen Roets explained that the uterine wall can become extremely thin during a caesarean, sometimes leaving only a few millimetres of space between the wall itself and the baby’s head, and said most of her colleagues had encountered a similar incident at least once during their careers. This narrowing of the uterine wall is a well-documented feature of late pregnancy, meaning there can be only a small margin between a surgeon’s incision and the baby’s body. To help guard against this, obstetric surgeons typically take a number of precautions, including making a careful initial incision into the uterus and then enlarging it manually, rather than relying on surgical instruments in close proximity to the baby.
How common are these injuries?
Accidental cuts to a baby’s skin during a caesarean section, known as fetal lacerations, are a recognised though relatively uncommon complication of the procedure. Research suggests they occur in roughly one to two per cent of caesarean deliveries, although the exact rate can vary depending on the circumstances of the birth. The risk tends to be higher during emergency caesareans, particularly when labour is already well advanced or the baby’s head has become deeply engaged in the mother’s pelvis. When lacerations do occur, they most commonly affect the head, face, ears, neck or buttocks, depending on the baby’s position in the womb. In the vast majority of cases, these are superficial cuts that heal fully following stitches or basic wound care, without leading to any long-term complications. Medical experts are keen to stress that, despite the recognised risk, most babies delivered by caesarean section are born entirely without injury.
A frightening experience with a fortunate outcome
In Hélène’s case, her daughter is not thought to have suffered any lasting harm from the injury, though the experience is likely to have been deeply frightening for Hélène herself. Caesarean sections remain among the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the world, accounting for roughly one in five births globally, according to the World Health Organization. Hospitals typically respond to unexpected complications of this kind through internal reviews, examining whether correct procedures were followed and whether any changes are needed to improve patient safety going forward.
