Indiana Injury Law Blog

A new study shows that babies delivered a few weeks earlier or later than 40 weeks have a slightly higher chance of developing cerebral palsy.

The results of the study have been published in the September issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers considered 1,682,441 babies born between 37 and 44 weeks, and with no birth defects. The babies were monitored over the next few years because cerebral palsy cannot be diagnosed at the time of birth. They found that of the babies that were monitored, 1,938 were ultimately diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The risk of developing cerebral palsy seemed to be higher among babies who were born at 37 and 38 weeks or after 42 weeks, compared to babies born at 40 weeks.

Babies born at 37 weeks had their higher risk of cerebral palsy increase by 90% compared to full term babies born at 30 weeks whose risk increased by 30%, and babies born at 42 weeks who had their risk increase by 36%. The babies born after 42 weeks, had their cerebral palsy risk increase by 44%.

However, researchers and doctors alike agreed that the risk of cerebral palsy is actually very low. Only one in 1,000 births will develop cerebral palsy. However, they also agree on the fact that deliveries a few weeks before term can increase the risk of not just cerebral palsy, but also a host of other complications. That is why it's not recommended that you deliver at 38 weeks, unless there's a medical reason for doing so. The same kind of risks may be seen for babies delivered after 42 weeks.

The researchers insist that although the study does show some risks of suffering cerebral palsy from early deliveries, doctors must not base their decision to perform a C-section on the results of these findings only.

The Indiana medical malpractice attorneys at Theodoros and Rooth represent injured victims of surgical errors, misdiagnoses, failure to diagnose, emergency room errors, medication errors and other forms of medical malpractice around Indiana.