Objective: To identify the probable risk factors for Cerebral Palsy (CP) in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methodology: It is a retrospective cohort study of all the CP cases admitted to the Al-Umeed Rehabilitation Association (AURA), Karachi from 1995 to 2020. The data were collected from admission files. The z-statistics test was applied for determining associations between birth characteristics, CP characteristics, sociodemographic profiles, and maternal attributes using SPSS 28.
Results: Out of 120 cases, 66.6% were male. CP characteristics showed dominant wheelchair-bound (61.6%), and spastic cases (65.8%). Significant birth characteristics showed immediate first cry (69.1%), full-term gestation (79.1%), normal birth weight (62.5%), and spontaneous vaginal delivery (64.1%). Sociodemographic profiles showed a significant ratio of unrelated marriages (61.6%) and low income (69.1%). Maternal attributes showed mean maternal age at the time of conception was 26.1±4.85 years with stable health during pregnancy in 86.6% of CP cases. Prenatal risk factors were identified in 75.8% of cases as fetal distress, hydrocephaly, low birth weight, maternal issues, microcephaly, placental insufficiency, periventricular leukodystrophy, periventricular leukomalacia, prematurity, Rh incompatibility, and TORCH infection. There were significant associations between birth characteristics, CP characteristics, sociodemographic profiles, and maternal attributes.
Conclusion: The major identified risk factors for CP were associated with the prenatal developmental period. More research on CP risk factors is an essential first step for developing adequate prevention strategies in Pakistan.
Key words: Cerebral palsy, Pakistan, prenatal, sociodemographic profile.
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