Abstract

Perinatal ischaemic stroke is defined as a group of heterogenous conditions in which there is a focal disruption of cerebral blood flow secondary to arterial or cerebral venous thrombosis. The time frame of perinatal stroke is between the 20th week of gestation and the 28th postnatal day. The diagnosis is confirmed by neuroimaging studies. The incidence of perinatal stroke is 20 – 63 cases per 100, 000 live births. The long-term sequelae of perinatal ischemic stroke include hemiparesis (60%), epilepsy (30-60%), language delay (25%) and cognitive or behavioural difficulties (22%). Early precise diagnosis is essential to establish prognosis and may help to develop an indivdualized rehabilitation approach. The purpose of this article was to give an overview of the etiopathogenesis, incidence, symptoms, risk factors and treatment of perinatal ischaemic stroke.