Objective: Analysis were under taken to determine the role of birth asphyxia and chronic antenatal hypoxia disorders in the genesis of Cerebral palsy, in a prospective study of 31,804 antenatal mothers and 30,080 live births.

Method: For this large scale prospective study, proper documentation of all events in the antenatal, natal and post natal period, a detail, stringent protocol was prepared and distributed to 49 Govt. & Z.P. health institutes. The protocol was filled in for each antenatal mother by the doctor of ante natal clinic and who is attending the delivery. The same was collected back to us by above mentioned institutes on a fixed date of every month, at the time of monthly review meeting. Thus from February 1998 to Feb 2000, a prospective study of 31,804 antenatal mothers were followed up till delivery and 30,080 live births were observed in Sindhudurg district.

Results: 246 children were identified by paediatricians as cerebral palsy in 30,080 live births at the end of 8th serial examination. Only 33% (82/246) victims of Cerebral palsy had birth asphyxia the presumed cause of their cerebral palsy. Of this 82 CP children, 26% (64/246) were of quadriplegic cerebral palsy and 7%(18/246) non-quadriplegic which was attributable to the birth asphyxia. Congenital disorders explained about one third of quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Birth asphyxia was not a significant antecedent of non-quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

Conclusion: 33% (82/246) victims of Cerebral palsy had birth asphyxia the presumed cause of their cerebral palsy. There was 20% (48/246) quiet a significant association of cerebral palsy with chronic antenatal hypoxic disorders. The overall incidence of cerebral palsy for Sindhudurg Dist. amount to 8.1 per thousand live births over a period of 1998 to 2000).

Childhood Disability Update 2005 - Conference Abstracts.Pediatric Oncall [serial online] 2006 [cited 15 January 2006(Supplement 1)];3. Available from:
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chronic_antenatal_hypoxia_disorders.asp