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Caput succedaneum is a swelling of the soft tissue of the head in an infant caused by pressure during delivery. It usually resolves on its own but can cause minor complications such as jaundice. Modern delivery procedures have reduced the occurrence of such injuries.
The phrase caput succedaneum literally means secondary head or bump. A caput succedaneum is swelling of the soft tissue of the head in an infant. When a baby is born in a head-down delivery, pressure is placed on the head by muscle contractions of the cervix and vaginal canal – this can cause damage to the head. The part of the scalp that runs through the birth canal is most often affected.
The main symptom of caput succedaneum is a swollen area, or soft spot, on the head. This swelling can extend beyond the area that first passed through the birth canal. Sometimes a child feels bruises, or cephalohematoma, under the periosteum. The periosteum is the tough connective tissue that covers bones, including the skull.
Such injuries to newborns during delivery have been greatly reduced due to changes in delivery procedures. Modern doctors often prefer C-section for delivery, rather than using tools, such as forceps or suction cups, to remove a baby from the birth canal. In every 1,000 live births, there are approximately eight newborns who suffer some form of physical harm related to the birth process.
When the membranes surrounding the baby and the amniotic fluid rupture, the baby is more likely to develop caput succedaneum. This is because the baby is no longer cushioned and protected from the muscle contractions meant to push the baby out of the womb. A caput succedaneum is more likely to occur if the baby’s delivery is prolonged or difficult. Large children are much more susceptible to caput succedaneum than average-sized children.
Caput succedaneum is not a cause for concern. It does not require treatment and disappears on its own in a few days. Newborns usually make a full recovery from it, but it can cause some minor complications.
If there is excessive bruising due to caput succedaneum, the child may develop jaundice caused by excess bilirubin. Jaundice is a yellow, orange, or brown discoloration of the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes caused by the buildup of bile pigments, such as bilirubin, in the body. Bilirubin is created from dead blood cells and blood cell waste products, such as cells that form a bruise.
It is normal for babies to develop newborn jaundice. It occurs in over half of births. Neonatal jaundice is typically caused when a newborn’s liver is underdeveloped and unable to effectively eliminate waste products such as bilirubin. These waste products tend to build up in the bloodstream and tissues, creating the characteristic discolorations that indicate jaundice. These symptoms usually resolve as the liver slowly begins clearing wastes from the blood and redirecting it to be passed through the bowels and out of the body in stool.
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