CEREBRAL-PALSY AND PERINATAL ASPHYXIA IN TERM NEONATES

Actual data on the frequency of cerebral palsy (CP) and ''infirmite' m otrice cerebrale'' (IMC), and their relationship with perinatal asphyx ia and perinatal managements, are presented. In France, the frequency of IMC at 9 years of age, approximates 1 per thousand, for the 1972, 1 976, 1981 generations. Three surveys, two English and one Australian, show an association between perinatal asphyxia and CP. However computa tion of percent attributable risk indicates that asphyxia can explain only one case of CP out of sir among term neonates. These surveys show also that 10% of CP only could be prevented by improving perinatal ma nagements. This, in addition to other factors such as the increase in survival of very preterm babies, explains the absence of a significant reduction of CP frequency despite improvements in the perinatal care.