Risk Factors for Infants who Develop Cerebral Palsy

The chance of a premature infant developing CP increases as birth weight decreases. Prematurity can be associated with multiple births (triplets, twins, etc.) or intrauterine growth retardation. While prematurity is a known risk factor for CP, what is not clear is whether the premature infant already had brain abnormalities or whether the damage occurred during or in early life. The chance of a brain (intracranial) hemorrhage also increases with decreasing birth weight.