It is with some temerity that a neurologic surgeon undertakes to address an obstetric section on the subject of cerebral injury in the newborn. The two specialties have a common responsibility, however, to the child showing clinical evidence of such injury, and if either can contribute anything to reduce the number of these tragedies a critical analysis of the subject is certainly desirable. The evidence obtained during this study indicates that cerebral asphyxia at birth may cause permanent degenerative changes in the brain with clinical neurologic manifestations. The correlation between recent neuropathologic, pharmacologic, physiologic and obstetric observations may be traced. From experience and research it is found that most cases of cerebral birth injury are associated with apnea at birth. The significance of the association may be clarified by means of a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the stages of oxygen deficiency and results of that deficiency and the