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Babies twice as likely to be born with cerebral palsy if mother falls during pregnancy

A pregnant woman is being examined by a female doctor at a clinic - Getty
A pregnant woman is being examined by a female doctor at a clinic - Getty

Babies are up to twice as likely to be born with cerebral palsy if their mother was involved in a fall or car accident while pregnant, new research has shown.

Accidental injuries affect up to eight per cent of pregnant women, with nine in 10 caused by falls or vehicle crashes.

Researchers found that the risk of a child being diagnosed with cerebral palsy rose by 33 per cent from any accident, and more than doubled for women who were hospitalised and gave birth within a week.

Cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability in childhood affecting around 2.3 children in 1,000 and is usually diagnosed between the ages of six months and two years.

It is caused by damage or faulty development in the brain before birth and symptoms can range from relatively mild problems with walking to severe disability, little movement, lack of speech, learning difficulties and epilepsy.

Muscle stiffness becomes more severe and limbs can become fixed in flexed positions as the child becomes older which can be painful if not managed correctly.

Currently no cure

Physiotherapy, medicines, and surgery are used to manage the condition but there is currently no cure.

Children with the mild form of the condition have a good chance of living into adulthood but those with severe forms are less likely to live beyond their teens.

The new results are based on a study of two million births by the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

Experts are unsure what is driving the increased risk, but say that accidents may damage the placenta or impede blood supply to the baby.

Treatment or scans given to the mother following an accident could also impact the baby’s neurodevelopment, they warn.

Writing in the journal Jama Pediatrics, the authors said: “These findings fill an important gap in knowledge on the potential role of maternal injury on children’s neurodevelopment outcomes.

“Public health professionals and stakeholders should be aware of these potential long-term consequences on offspring when designing programs and providing recommendations about safety during pregnancy.”