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Erb's Palsy is an injury to the nerves at the base of the neck known as the "brachial plexus". This type of injury happens during the birth process due to the nerves at the base of the neck being torn, bruised or stretched during attempts to deliver a baby when its shoulder becomes stuck behind a mother's symphysis pubis following delivery of its head. The obstetric term for obstruction of the shoulder is "shoulder dystocia".

Shoulder dystocia is usually not foreseen. When it occurs it is classed as an obstetric emergency because once the baby's head is delivered, it is unable to breath because its chest and umbilical cord is compressed in the birth canal thus cutting off its oxygen supply. If up to this point a baby has not been distressed during the birth process, delivery of the shoulders should take place within 10 minutes otherwise there is a serious risk of brain injury or even death in the most severe cases. If a baby has shown signs of distress during the birth process, delivery of the shoulders should be even less than 10 minutes to avoid brain injury.

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