About Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a condition caused when there is damage to the brain, either before, during or following birth. It can result from illness during pregnancy, premature delivery, or lack of oxygen to the baby.
Insufficient oxygen or poor blood flow reaching the fetal or newborn brain. can result from labor which is either protracted or too abrupt, an awkward birth position, premature separation of the placenta, or interference with the umbilical cord.
Additional causes may be associated with micro-organisms that attack the newborn's central nervous system, infection of the mother with German measles or other viral diseases in early pregnancy, premature birth, and RH or A-B-O blood type incompatibility.
Physicians and nurses caring for a pregnant woman and her fetus are expected to provide quality care during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and immediately after the delivery of the infant. Failing to do so can result in the care givers being held accountable for the outcome of the pregnancy.
Brain injuries caused during pregnancy, birth and shortly thereafter, can result from any number of medical errors and misjudgments.
These include:- During Pregnancy:
- neglecting to respond to changes in the mother’s condition;
- failing to conduct recommended tests;
- not interpreting the results accurately;
- During Labor:
- neglecting to respond to and interpret changing conditions of the fetus;
- During Delivery:
- failing to perform a cesarean section despite the onset of fetal distress;
- failure to deliver the infant when the membranes have been ruptured for too long.
- excessive use of vacuum extraction.
