[PRINCIPLES OF CAUSALITY BETWEEN PERIPARTUM EVENTS AND CEREBRAL PALSY]

Understanding the intrapartum development of cerebral palsy (CP) may improve obstetrical management, would decrease the incidence of CP, and would help the court in judging whether CP is a result of negligence. In 1999, the Australian task force, and in 2003 the American task force, published their consensus regarding the criteria to establish intrapartum development of CP (recently reaffirmed by the American task force). The rationale is that CP is the end product of a continuum starting with an intrapartum hypoxic event that continues with the birth of an asphyxiated neonate, that exhibit specific neurological manifestations, and ends with a specific type of CP. The more studies that are performed over time on the consensus criteria, the more valid they appear to be.