Children born early or late in a pregnancy both appear to have an increased chance of having cerebral palsy, according to new research published in the September 1 Journal of the American Medical Association. The research was headed by Dr. Dag Moster, a neonatologist at the University of Bergen. He used the Medical Birth Registry of Norway to comb through the births of 1.7 million children born between 1967 and 2001, and tracked those children through 2005.
The findings indicate that children born at term, 40 weeks, had the lowest risk of developing cerebral palsy. However, being born early or late increased the risk significantly. Children born at 37 weeks had a 90% increase in the risk of cerebral palsy, while those born at 42 weeks or later had a 40% increased risk. Even with the increased risk, the total number of children who developed cerebral palsy was small; less than 2,000 of the children surveyed developed cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is caused by an injury to a baby's brain that can occur before, during or shortly after birth. If the brain of a newborn is deprived of oxygen, it can result in irreversible damage that leaves the child with developmental problems and life-long injuries. Researchers do not have an explanation for why children's brains are more vulnerable to the risk of cerebral palsy if born pre- or post-term.
In some cases, cerebral palsy is the result of medical malpractice. If your child or the child of a loved one has cerebral palsy and think it might be the result of malpractice, contact The Law Offices of Dr. Bruce G. Fagel and Associates to discuss your potential case. For a free consultation, call 800/541-9376 or go to www.birthinjurydoctorlawyer.com.
