Abstract:
Cerebral palsy (CP) cases are some of the primary
reasons for litigation of high quantum amounts
against obstetricians both in the public and private
sector, on the basis of acute intrapartum hypoxia
resulting in hypoxic ischaemic foetal brain damage
and by extension invoking “negligent intrapartum
care”. This has resulted in a steep rise of insurance
premiums placing service delivery in both the public
and private sector under a serious threat. This is a
worldwide phenomenon and MacLennan already
expressed his concerns in 2005 by asking: ‘Who will
deliver our grandchildren?’. It has widely been
believed that CP is the direct result of an adverse
event at birth and that it could have been prevented,
but <10% of CP is caused by “birth asphyxia”. There
are multiple risk factors and causes now identified to
be associated with CP.
