ABSTRACT
Cerebral palsy refers to a group of chronic conditions characterized by abnormal control of movement or posture, having in common the fact that they are all cerebral in origin, arise early in life, are non-progressive, and are frequently accompanied by seizure disorders, sensory impairment and/or cognitive limitation1-3. The term ‘cerebral palsy’ is attributed to Sir William Osler who, in 1889, associated the condition with asphyxia of the newborn following complicated deliveries4. Cerebral palsy is heterogeneous in both its clinical manifestations and its causation. Whether by ignorance or convenience, and despite substantial epidemiologic evidence demonstrating that no more than 10% of all cases of cerebral palsy occur as a result of peripartum hypoxia1-6, intrapartum mismanagement and resultant hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy remains uppermost in the minds of non-obstetric care providers as the major cause of cerebral palsy. This review briefly summarizes our current understanding of the prevalence and etiology of cerebral palsy before focusing on multiple pregnancies and two specific risk factors: preterm birth and intrauterine infection.
