Birth asphyxia can be an early sign of cerebral palsy, the effect of an antenatal anomaly rather than its cause. The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of intrapartum complications in patients with malformation of cortical development. The data were retrospectively assessed and compared with a control group of children with idiopathic epilepsy. Intrapartum complications were reported in 22 (31.5%) patients, as opposed to only 2 in the control group (p < 0.001). Patients with cortical malformations frequently present intrapartum complications, which could lead to the misdiagnosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.