How to rule out fetal cerebral palsy during pregnancy

Jul 21, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhang Lu
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, it is difficult to completely rule out fetal cerebral palsy during prenatal examinations. However, regularly scheduled prenatal checkups during pregnancy, monitoring fetal developmental indicators, screening for high-risk factors, tracking fetal movements, and performing imaging examinations can help reduce the risk to some extent. It is recommended to follow the physician's advice and undergo regular prenatal examinations, including tests such as complete blood count (CBC), urinalysis, Down syndrome screening, and non-invasive DNA testing.

Under normal circumstances, it is difficult to completely rule out fetal cerebral palsy during prenatal examinations. However, regular prenatal checkups during pregnancy, monitoring fetal developmental indicators, screening for high-risk factors, tracking fetal movements, and conducting imaging examinations can generally help reduce this risk. Detailed explanations are as follows:

1. Regular prenatal checkups: Follow your doctor's recommendations for regular prenatal examinations, including routine blood tests, urine tests, Down syndrome screening, and non-invasive DNA testing, to promptly detect any abnormalities that might affect fetal brain development, thus providing a basic reference for ruling out cerebral palsy.

2. Monitoring fetal developmental indicators: Use ultrasound to monitor the growth and development of the fetus, checking whether indicators such as head circumference, biparietal diameter, and femur length are within the normal range, to assess whether the fetal brain and overall development match the gestational age and to determine if there is any developmental delay.

3. Screening for high-risk factors: The doctor will inquire about conditions during pregnancy such as hypertension, diabetes, infections, and whether there is a history of adverse pregnancies or other high-risk factors. These factors may increase the risk of cerebral palsy in the fetus. Identifying and managing these factors can help reduce the risk.

4. Monitoring fetal movement: Pregnant women should record the frequency and intensity of fetal movements daily. Normal fetal movement indicates good fetal condition in the uterus. If fetal movements become abnormally frequent or decrease, it may indicate fetal hypoxia in the uterus. Prompt management can reduce the risk of brain damage.

5. Conducting imaging examinations: During pregnancy, ultrasounds or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be performed to observe whether there are any abnormalities in the fetal brain structure, such as hydrocephalus or poor brain development. These abnormalities may be associated with cerebral palsy and can provide imaging support for early detection or exclusion of problems.

Strictly follow your doctor's instructions during pregnancy, complete all examinations on schedule, and proactively inform your doctor about your health status and any abnormalities. If any abnormalities are detected during examinations, cooperate with further tests and treatment to minimize the risk of fetal cerebral palsy and ensure healthy fetal development.

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