Most Newborn Brain Injuries Do Not Occur During Childbirth, Report Says

March of Dimes
Wednesday, 26 February 2003

The majority of newborn brain injury cases do not occur during labor and delivery. Rather, most instances of neonatal encephalopathy are attributable to events occurring before labor begins, according to a new report by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and endorsed by the March of Dimes, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and several other professional organizations devoted to maternal and infant health.

The report, Neonatal Encephalopathy and Cerebral Palsy: Defining the Pathogenesis and Pathophysiology, gives evidence that the vast majority of neonatal encephalopathy and cerebral palsy originate from developmental or metabolic abnormalities, autoimmune and coagulation defects, infection, trauma, or combinations of these factors during pregnancy.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at www.marchofdimes.com, its Spanish Web site at www.nacersano.org, or call 1-888-MODIMES. For more information on the annual March of Dimes WalkAmerica, visit the Web site at www.walkamerica.org.

For more information, or to contact March of Dimes, see their website at: www.marchofdimes.com