Background Cerebral palsy (CP) arises from non-progressive brain damage occurring during the prenatal, perinatal, or postnatal period. We analyzed CP incidence and risk factors in South Korea over a 20-year period. Methods We included children newly diagnosed with CP between the first year of life and 5 years from 2005 to 2024 and examined their CP risk factors. Annual incidence rates were calculated by dividing the number of new cases each year by the population of children aged ≤5 years, with age- and sex-standardization. The CP cumulative incidence at the 5-year follow-up was analyzed by birth year. Temporal incidence trends were assessed using Joinpoint regression. Results The annual age- and sex-standardized CP incidence rate decreased from 6.6 to 3.6/10,000 between 2005 and 2024. The 5-year cumulative CP incidence also declined from 4.26/1000 live births in 2005 to 2.51/1000 live births in 2020. The most prevalent risk factors were birth-related complications, prematurity/low birth weight, and metabolic diseases, all showing increasing trends. Conclusion From 2005 to 2024, the CP incidence in South Korea declined, possibly reflecting perinatal-care improvements, particularly among children aged ≤2 years. Nationwide developmental-screening programs may have also enhanced milder-case detection, perhaps increasing the relative proportion diagnosed at ages 4–5 years. Impact <UnorderedList Mark="Bullet"> <ItemContent> Over the past 20 years, the annual incidence of cerebral palsy diagnosis in children between the first year of life and 5 years old has gradually decreased in South Korea. </ItemContent> <ItemContent> Cerebral palsy was the most frequently diagnosed at 1 year of age, and birth-related conditions, prematurity or low birth weight, and metabolic diseases were the most prevalent risk factors showing an increasing trend. </ItemContent> <ItemContent> This study suggests that advances in perinatal care might have contributed to the decline in CP incidence and the developmental screening test for infants and children implemented in South Korea may have contributed to reduction of missed diagnoses. </ItemContent> </UnorderedList>

Trends in the annual incidence and risk factors of cerebral palsy

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2026年1月23日

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Jooyoung Lee,
Yoonjeong Choi,
Miji Kim,
Woo Hyung Lee,
Ja-Ho Leigh,
Moon Suk Bang

摘要

Background

Cerebral palsy (CP) arises from non-progressive brain damage occurring during the prenatal, perinatal, or postnatal period. We analyzed CP incidence and risk factors in South Korea over a 20-year period.

Methods

We included children newly diagnosed with CP between the first year of life and 5 years from 2005 to 2024 and examined their CP risk factors. Annual incidence rates were calculated by dividing the number of new cases each year by the population of children aged ≤5 years, with age- and sex-standardization. The CP cumulative incidence at the 5-year follow-up was analyzed by birth year. Temporal incidence trends were assessed using Joinpoint regression.

Results

The annual age- and sex-standardized CP incidence rate decreased from 6.6 to 3.6/10,000 between 2005 and 2024. The 5-year cumulative CP incidence also declined from 4.26/1000 live births in 2005 to 2.51/1000 live births in 2020. The most prevalent risk factors were birth-related complications, prematurity/low birth weight, and metabolic diseases, all showing increasing trends.

Conclusion

From 2005 to 2024, the CP incidence in South Korea declined, possibly reflecting perinatal-care improvements, particularly among children aged ≤2 years. Nationwide developmental-screening programs may have also enhanced milder-case detection, perhaps increasing the relative proportion diagnosed at ages 4–5 years.

Impact

Over the past 20 years, the annual incidence of cerebral palsy diagnosis in children between the first year of life and 5 years old has gradually decreased in South Korea.

Cerebral palsy was the most frequently diagnosed at 1 year of age, and birth-related conditions, prematurity or low birth weight, and metabolic diseases were the most prevalent risk factors showing an increasing trend.

This study suggests that advances in perinatal care might have contributed to the decline in CP incidence and the developmental screening test for infants and children implemented in South Korea may have contributed to reduction of missed diagnoses.