Yes. Although forceps can be used to make delivery safer and protect the mother and baby from injury, they can also cause long-term damage.
Forceps delivery complications like a brain injury at birth can cause permanent damage. These complications can lead to physical and mental disabilities that affect the baby for life, including cerebral palsy and intellectual impairment.
Damage may occur when the doctor uses the wrong type of forceps, uses forceps improperly, or uses forceps when a safer alternative should have been considered, such as a cesarean section (C-section).