Does traumatic labor cause cerebral palsy cases?
Traumatic labor can contribute to some cases of cerebral palsy, but it does not cause most of them. Cerebral palsy happens when a baby’s brain gets damaged or does not develop right, often before birth, but sometimes during or right after.
Doctors know that brain injury is the main reason for cerebral palsy. This damage can come from many things like infections in the mom during pregnancy, bleeding in the baby’s brain, or low oxygen levels. During labor, a lack of oxygen to the brain, called birth asphyxia or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, is one risk. This can happen if the cord is wrapped around the neck, the placenta pulls away too soon, or labor lasts too long without help. These issues might lead to brain cells dying from not getting enough blood or oxygen.
Still, experts say labor problems only explain a small part of cases. For example, one hospital group notes that complications from labor and delivery cause just 5 to 10 percent of cerebral palsy. Most cases start before birth, from things like early birth, very low birth weight, or mom having infections or blood clots. Premature babies face higher risks from brain bleeds or swelling.
New studies using brain scans like MRI show even more details. In one look at kids with cerebral palsy, only a few had no clear brain damage on scans, pointing to genes instead. Many had white matter harm from oxygen loss around birth time, but genes played a role in about a quarter of all cases, no matter the scan results. This means causes mix genes, pregnancy issues, and birth events.
Not all tough labors lead to cerebral palsy. Things like good medical care during birth can prevent many risks. Brain damage after birth from falls or infections can also cause it, but that’s rare.
Sources
https://www.childbirthinjuries.com/cerebral-palsy/frequently-asked-questions/
https://www.nationalbirthinjurylaw.com/what-causes-cerebral-palsy
https://www.bila.ca/birth-injuries/cerebral-palsy/types/
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://www.rwkgoodman.com/injury/birth-injury-claims/cerebral-palsy-claims/cerebral-palsy-guide-causes-symptoms-legal/
https://www.dignityhealth.org/conditions-and-treatments/neurology/cerebral-palsy
https://www.dwbrlaw.com/category/birth-injuries/
