How Injury in the Brain during Birth Leads to Cerebral Palsy in Babies

Cerebral palsy is a brain disorder that is caused by brain injury or brain damage either during pregnancy, birth or after birth. People suffering from this disorder lack muscle control especially around the limbs. Cerebral palsy is also marked by the lack of body movement. However, it is not a life threatening disease. Up to 10 to 15 percent of the cases of cerebral palsy occur during birth. Besides brain injury during birth, mistakes from the medical personnel during childbirth can also lead to cerebral palsy during childbirth.

Generally, there are three conditions during childbirth that can lead to brain damage, which in turn will cause cerebral palsy in a newborn baby. They are

Risks of reduced glucose levels

Reduced oxygen dangers

Trauma dangers

It is possible for two or three of these conditions to occur at the same time. Any of these conditions can also be caused or aggravated by medical errors. Let us examine them one after the other.

Reduced Glucose Levels

Brain damage, which is the major cause of cerebral palsy, can occur during delivery if there is drop in the level of the blood sugar of the new born baby. It is possible for the blood sugar level of a newborn baby to drop during delivery. This situation normally occurs if there is extended labor or delivery. If a woman has lengthy delivery, it is important for the medical personnel to check the blood sugar of the newborn baby to see if it has dropped and give the newborn baby adequate treatment if the blood glucose level drops otherwise the baby may suffer from cerebral palsy.

Reduced Oxygen

The fetus is connected to the mother through the placenta and it receives nourishment from the mother through the placenta. During delivery, the placenta provides the baby with oxygen. If anything happens to the placenta and no oxygen is provided to the baby, such condition can lead to brain damage, which can cause cerebral palsy. There are certain situations that cause damage to the placenta.

High or low blood pressure, which can cause eclampsia to the woman in labor.

Improper use of oxytocin or pitocin can cause damage to the placenta. This hormone causes the placenta to contract during prolonged delivery. If it induces the placenta to contract too frequent, it can stop the flow of blood to the baby.

Lack of oxygen to the brain of new baby can also be caused by compression of or damage to the umbilical cord.

Trauma

There are different ways through which trauma can be caused to newborn baby during delivery. Some of the ways are prolonged contractions, pushing the head of the baby violently against the mother's pelvic bone, misuse of forceps or vacuum extractors leading to the tearing of brain tissue and blood vessels, cerebral bleeding and contusions.

These and other medical errors are some of the things that can cause brain damage, which is the major cause of cerebral palsy during childbirth.