Maternal respiratory distress causes a decrease in blood oxygen levels, which results in the fetus not receiving enough oxygen from the mother, thus causing hypoxia in the mother. The fetus can tolerate severe hypoxia for no more than five minutes, and the longer the chronic hypoxia lasts the greater the effect on cerebral palsy. Insufficient oxygen in the pregnant woman herself tends to cause insufficient oxygen in the fetal umbilical cord, which in turn causes fetal hypoxia, which is an independent risk factor for cerebral palsy. The fetus can tolerate severe hypoxia for no more than five minutes, and intrauterine distress can result from low amniotic fluid or severe cord winding. The ability to adapt to the duration of chronic hypoxia varies among individuals, but the longer the duration of chronic hypoxia, the greater the impact on the fetus, and prolonged hypoxia may also lead to cerebral palsy. Most fetuses with chronic hypoxia for 1-2 days will not be affected by normal fetal development and intellectual development after timely correction of the cause of hypoxia. In conclusion, once severe hypoxia occurs during pregnancy, it should be taken seriously and an experienced obstetrician should determine whether the pregnancy should be terminated in time.