There is a soft bump on the baby's head after normal delivery

There are generally two ways of delivery: natural birth and caesarean section, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. A natural birth is more difficult than a caesarean section. Regardless of the method of delivery, the family hopes that the baby will be healthy and have no physical abnormalities. However, some parents find that babies born naturally have a soft bump on their heads. This phenomenon is called a birth tumor, which is common in babies born naturally. Let's take a closer look at the relevant situation of tumor production.

Osteoma, also known as head first presentation or scalp edema, is a subcutaneous edema caused by compression of the neonatal scalp circulation, changes in vascular permeability and obstruction of lymphatic return during delivery through the birth canal. It often occurs in the head first presentation area and can be found at birth.

When a newborn is born, there is a tumor-like bulge on the left or right side or back of the head, which is called a birth tumor. During the delivery process, when the fetal head reaches the mother's pelvic floor, the fetal head is compressed and the skull bones overlap and gradually deform. The front part of the fetal head is under the greatest pressure, and the local blood circulation is affected, causing edema and forming a birth tumor. In the case of premature rupture of membranes and prolonged labor, the birth tumor is more obvious. Ovarian tumors usually disappear on their own one or two days after birth and do not require treatment.

When a woman is giving birth, due to uterine contractions and squeezing of the birth canal, the blood circulation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the fetal head is obstructed, causing local congestion, edema and congestion. Even the skull may partially overlap, causing the fetal head to be temporarily elongated and deformed, resulting in subcutaneous hematoma, which is medically called a birth tumor.

The scalp is a dense layer of soft tissue outside the skull, which is rich in vascular tissue. The scalp is composed of skin, subcutaneous tissue, galea aponeurotica, subaponeurotic layer and periosteum. When the head is subjected to external force, blood vessels rupture and bleed to form a hematoma. According to the location of the hematoma, it is divided into three types: subcutaneous hematoma, subgaleal hematoma and subperiosteal hematoma. Subcutaneous hematoma is located between the skin of the head and the galea aponeurotica. There are many dense fibrous tissues in it, which makes it difficult for blood to spread to the surrounding area. The hematoma is limited and has clear boundaries. Subgaleal hematoma is easy to spread to the surrounding area because the tissue under the galeal aponeurosis is loose and the blood under the galeal aponeurosis does not coagulate. During examination, the head is widely bulged with unclear boundaries, and there is a sense of fluid fluctuation when the fingers are touched. Subperiosteal hematoma does not extend beyond the bone suture and is also harder. Hematoma caused by birth trauma in newborns is of this type.

The tumor will not affect the baby's intelligence. Because this bleeding only occurs between the periosteum and the skull, it is not intracranial hemorrhage and does not affect brain cells. As for head deformation, it is temporary. The bones of newborns are soft and easy to deform and recover, so parents do not need to worry about it.

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