Shoulder dystocia is a childbirth emergency in which a baby’s head is delivered but one or both shoulders become stuck behind the mother’s pelvic bone. This situation can be frightening and dangerous if it is not managed quickly and correctly. Many parents naturally ask whether shoulder dystocia directly causes cerebral palsy. The short answer is that shoulder dystocia by itself does not automatically cause cerebral palsy, but it can lead to conditions, such as a lack of oxygen, that may result in brain injury and cerebral palsy if not handled properly.
To understand this better, it helps to know what cerebral palsy is and how it usually develops. Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement, muscle tone, and posture. It is caused by damage to the developing brain, most often before birth, during labor and delivery, or shortly after birth, according to information summarized from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke as cited by Sokolove Law’s overview of cerebral palsy causes (https://www.sokolovelaw.com/birth-injuries/cerebral-palsy/causes/)[1]. The damage usually affects areas that control movement, including the white matter and motor regions of the brain[1]. Once this brain injury occurs, the resulting movement problems are permanent, although therapy can help improve function.
There are many different reasons why a baby’s brain can be injured. These include infections during pregnancy, problems with blood flow to the baby’s brain, bleeding in the brain, severe jaundice, or complications during birth that interrupt oxygen supply[1]. Some legal and medical resources that deal with cerebral palsy cases list common labor and delivery problems associated with later cerebral palsy diagnoses, such as delayed delivery, placental abruption, prolonged abnormal fetal heart rate, or unmanaged lack of oxygen at birth (https://feldmanshepherd.com/birth-injury-lawyer/cerebral-palsy/)[6]. These problems can all reduce oxygen to the baby’s brain. When the reduction is severe or lasts too long, it can cause permanent brain damage that may lead to cerebral palsy.
So where does shoulder dystocia fit into this picture? Shoulder dystocia itself is a mechanical problem: the baby’s shoulder cannot pass through the birth canal after the head has been born. It is considered an obstetric emergency because it can quickly threaten the baby’s oxygen supply. The American Academy of Family Physicians has described shoulder dystocia as a rare but serious event, sometimes occurring when the baby is large or labor is difficult (https://prosperlaw.com/medical-malpractice-childbirth/)[4]. If the baby’s body is stuck while the head is out, the umbilical cord may be compressed or stretched, and the baby may not receive enough oxygen-rich blood. In addition, the baby cannot take effective breaths until fully delivered. According to a childbirth injury resource on prolonged labor, shoulder dystocia can result in the baby’s shoulders being trapped behind the mother’s pelvic bone in a way that can cut off oxygen to the baby (https://www.childbirthinjuries.com/blog/prolonged-labor-effects-on-baby-complications/)[9].
If this oxygen problem is significant and not quickly resolved, it can lead to a period where the baby’s brain is not getting what it needs. Brain cells are very sensitive to oxygen loss. When the shortage is severe or lasts for several minutes, permanent brain damage can occur. Legal and medical malpractice discussions often connect this type of oxygen shortage during birth with later cerebral palsy. For example, Feldman Shepherd, a birth injury law firm, notes that mishandled shoulder dystocia and improper use of delivery tools can cause bleeding in the brain or other injuries that result in cerebral palsy[6]. Their case summaries describe children who developed cerebral palsy because medical teams failed to act on clear warning signs or did not manage labor complications quickly enough, leading to preventable brain injury[6]. While these examples do not say that shoulder dystocia always causes cerebral palsy, they show that when shoulder dystocia is not handled correctly, the resulting lack of oxygen or trauma can play a direct role in brain damage.
There are real-world cases that link shoulder dystocia, oxygen loss, and cerebral palsy in a very direct way. A well-known legal case discussed by RWK Goodman, a UK law firm, involved a baby whose shoulder dystocia lasted for about 12 minutes during delivery (https://www.rwkgoodman.com/injury/birth-injury-claims/cerebral-palsy-claims/)[2]. Because the delivery was delayed and the baby was deprived of oxygen during that time, he suffered permanent brain damage and was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy[2]. In the same incident, the baby also suffered brachial plexus injury, leading to Erb’s palsy[2]. This case shows that shoulder dystocia itself is not the direct cause of cerebral palsy; instead, the key issue is what happens during those critical minutes, especially whether the baby’s brain is deprived of oxygen and for how long.
It is important to understand that shoulder dystocia does not always result in brain injury or cerebral palsy. Many deliveries involving shoulder dystocia end with healthy babies who do not develop cerebral palsy. When the obstetric team recognizes the problem immediately, calls for help, and correctly uses specific maneuvers to free the shoulder, the baby can often be delivered quickly enough to avoid serious oxygen deprivation. Medical guidelines describe a series of standard steps, such as changing the mother’s position, applying pressure above the pubic bone, or using other maneuvers to rotate the baby’s shoulder, all designed to release the shoulder without putting harmful traction on the baby’s head and neck[4]. When these are done properly and promptly, the main risks are short-lived distress or local nerve injury rather than long-term brain damage.
In fact, the birth injury most commonly associated with shoulder dystocia is not cerebral palsy but brachial plexus injury, including Erb’s palsy. The brachial plexus is a group of nerves that control movement and sensation in the shoulder, arm, and hand. Cerebral Palsy Guide and other resources that focus on birth injuries explain that shoulder dystocia increases the risk of brachial ple
