Can complicated deliveries cause cerebral palsy cases?
Cerebral palsy is a condition that affects a child’s muscle control and movement due to brain damage or abnormal brain development. It often starts before birth but can sometimes link to problems during a complicated delivery. While not every tough birth leads to cerebral palsy, certain issues in delivery can raise the risk by harming the baby’s brain.
One main concern in complicated deliveries is lack of oxygen to the baby’s brain, known as hypoxia or birth asphyxia. This can happen if labor drags on too long, causing the baby’s heart rate to drop or distress signals to appear. Prolonged pushing in the second stage of labor might lead to shoulder dystocia, where the baby’s shoulders get stuck after the head comes out, cutting off oxygen briefly. Without quick action like a C-section, this oxygen shortage can damage brain cells and contribute to cerebral palsy.
Doctors sometimes use tools like forceps or vacuum extractors in hard vaginal births to help pull the baby out. If used with too much force, especially when the shoulders are stuck, these tools can cause injury or further delay oxygen flow. Prolonged labor also increases chances of infections, such as group B strep or chorioamnionitis, which spread from mother to baby and inflame the brain.
Other delivery risks include a compressed umbilical cord, placental abruption, or bleeding in the brain. These cut blood and oxygen supply, leading to conditions like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, which often results in cerebral palsy. Experts note birth injuries from such complications are a leading cause, though labor and delivery problems account for only 5 to 10 percent of cases overall. Most cerebral palsy stems from issues in pregnancy or right after birth, like infections or prematurity.
Medical teams can spot risks early through monitoring, like checking fetal heart rates or using tools to measure contraction strength. If labor stalls or the baby shows distress, switching to a C-section can prevent harm. Knowing factors like a large baby, maternal diabetes, or small pelvis helps plan safer births.
Sources
https://www.cerebralpalsyhub.com/birth-injury/erbs-palsy/causes/
https://www.childbirthinjuries.com/blog/prolonged-labor-effects-on-baby-complications/
https://www.sokolovelaw.com/birth-injuries/causes/
https://www.rwkgoodman.com/injury/birth-injury-claims/cerebral-palsy-claims/cerebral-palsy-guide-causes-symptoms-legal/
https://www.orangehealthcare.in/uncategorized/severe-infections-in-infants-leading-to-cerebral-palsy-causes-early-signs-and-prevention/
https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/cerebral-palsy
https://cerebralpalsyguidance.com/2025/12/12/researchers-use-mri-to-diagnose-find-causes-of-cerebral-palsy-in-children/
https://childrensdayton.org/kidshealth/az-cp-infantile/
https://www.bila.ca/birth-injuries/cerebral-palsy/types/
