Can a traumatic delivery cause cerebral palsy? Yes, problems during labor and delivery can damage a baby’s brain and lead to cerebral palsy, but this happens less often than many people think.
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect how a person moves and keeps their balance. It starts in early childhood and lasts a lifetime. The main reason is some kind of harm to the developing brain. This harm can happen before birth, during birth, or soon after.
During a traumatic delivery, the baby might not get enough oxygen to the brain. This lack of oxygen is called birth asphyxia. It can happen from a long labor, issues with the umbilical cord, or the placenta pulling away too soon from the uterus wall. Without oxygen, brain cells start to die quickly. Even a few minutes without blood flow can cause lasting damage. This often leads to a condition called hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE. Babies with HIE have a higher chance of developing cerebral palsy later.[1][2][7]
Other delivery problems can also play a role. For example, if the umbilical cord slips down ahead of the baby, it can get squeezed and cut off oxygen. Heavy bleeding in the brain or head injuries from tools used in delivery might add to the risk.[3][4]
Experts note that delivery complications cause cerebral palsy in only about 5 to 10 percent of cases. Most cases link to issues earlier in pregnancy, like infections, preterm birth, or low birth weight. Genetics might factor in too, sometimes working with brain injuries.[3][5]
Not every tough delivery leads to cerebral palsy. Many babies go through hard births and turn out fine. Proper medical care during labor can spot and fix problems early to lower the risk.[2]
Sources:
https://www.nationalbirthinjurylaw.com/what-causes-cerebral-palsy
https://www.childbirthinjuries.com/cerebral-palsy/frequently-asked-questions/
https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/cerebral-palsy
https://www.rwkgoodman.com/injury/birth-injury-claims/cerebral-palsy-claims/cerebral-palsy-guide-causes-symptoms-legal/
https://cerebralpalsyguidance.com/2025/12/12/researchers-use-mri-to-diagnose-find-causes-of-cerebral-palsy-in-children/
https://www.rheingoldlaw.com/nyc-birth-injuries-lawyer/birth-injury-faq/
https://www.bila.ca/birth-injuries/cerebral-palsy/types/
https://www.dignityhealth.org/conditions-and-treatments/neurology/cerebral-palsy
