Can cerebral palsy be prevented?

Yes, cerebral palsy can be prevented. Several measures of prevention are increasingly possible today. Pregnant women are tested routinely for the Rh factor and, if Rh negative, they can be immunized within 72 hours after the birth and thereby prevent adverse consequences of blood incompatibility in a subsequent pregnancy. If the mother has not been immunized, the consequences of blood incompatibility in the newborn can be prevented by exchange transfusion in the baby. If the newborn baby has jaundice, this can be treated by photo therapy in the hospital nursery (baby is placed under lights). Failure to treat jaundice can result in severe brain damage. Other preventive programs are directed toward the prevention of prematurity, reducing exposure of pregnant women to infections, and reducing exposure to unnecessary X-rays. Also, measures are taken to control diabetes, anemia and other nutritional deficiencies. Cerebral palsy can also be prevented through optimal well being prior to conception, adequate prenatal care, and protecting infants from accidents or injury. More importantly, cerebral palsy can be prevented if the doctors and nurses caring for the expectant mother follow procedure and use good judgment when rendering care before, during, and after the delivery of a child.