There are many possible cerebral palsy causes in human infants. One possible cause is asphyxiation—the lack of enough oxygen getting to the brain—which itself may be associated with medical malpractice.

During the birthing process, oxygen can be compromised in several ways such as by the umbilical cord becoming impinged, the placenta separating from the uterine wall early, or the womb rupturing. This temporary or sustained drop in oxygen can damage the brain and may not be evident for several months after the child’s birth.

The difficult reality of identifying cerebral palsy causes in a particular case are nuanced by this delay in symptoms and sometimes by the protective stance that obstetricians and the hospitals that employ them take to cover themselves legally. This is why it often takes the expertise of a medical malpractice attorney to help parents in the event of a potential birth injury.

Not all cerebral palsy causes can be deterred by the attending physicians and nursing staff at a birth. Some other possible contributors to the development of cerebral palsy include genetics, infections, and brain injury before or after birth.

Prenatal & Postnatal Infection Causes

Among cerebral palsy causes, roughly 70 percent are from prenatal injuries or experiences during actual gestation, which can include exposure to viruses or physical trauma. Exposure to rubella (German measles) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) during gestation is a known problem for pregnant women.

In the fight against the invaders, the maternal immune system consequentially releases proteins that have been shown to cause swelling in the embryonic or fetal brain that can stand in the way of optimum neural development.

In the developed world, most women do receive a measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine as children with boosters in adulthood. In planned pregnancies, this can be updated ahead of getting pregnant with the guidance of a good doctor.

Diet can play a part in the vulnerability of cerebral palsy causes of this nature. In women that ingest partially cooked or raw meat, the likelihood of sustaining infection is greater. Infections sustained by the baby after its birth are also possible cerebral palsy causes.

As hospitals are institutions that house sick people, the post-birth period can be a particularly vulnerable time for an infant in which they can contract an infection that could affect the motor control centers of the brain. Meningitis commonly causes inflammation of the brain tissue which can leave lasting effects.

Brain Hemorrhage and Injury

Other cerebral palsy causes are prenatal brain bleeds which are brought on by the rupturing of a blood vessel in the head of the fetus. These bleeds interfere with normal brain development and the areas of the brain that affect muscle control and movement.

Additionally, blunt force trauma to the infants head during or after birth or even in the first few months and years of a baby’s life can result in cerebral palsy. In a number of cases, improper use of birth forceps or handling of an infant during cesarean or even normal delivery could be the cause, but this is not always the situation.

If you believe your child sustained cerebral palsy through the negligence or malpractice of your attending obstetrician and medical team, you may benefit from talking to a knowledgeable medical malpractice attorney.