Birth asphyxia is when a baby cannot establish regular breathing after birth due to a lack of oxygen in the womb or during delivery. It is a medical emergency that can cause long-term damage or death. Factors such as the mother’s health during pregnancy, meconium blockage, and placental abruption can contribute to the condition. Symptoms include low blood pressure, low heart rate, and organ dysfunction. Treatment includes emergency delivery, induced labor, and ECMO assisted ventilation. Prognosis depends on the duration of oxygen deprivation.
Birth asphyxia, also called asphyxia neonatorum, is the inability of a baby to establish regular breathing after birth. The condition results from an inadequate supply of oxygen to a baby while in the womb or during the delivery process. It is considered a medical emergency and immediate steps must be taken to establish breathing to prevent long-term damage or death.
Several factors that may occur in utero and during the delivery process can lead to this problem. The health of the mother during pregnancy and delivery directly affects the overall health of the fetus, and physiological factors within the uterus can also contribute to the development of birth asphyxia. Once the baby is born, the risk of asphyxiation does not decrease until regular breathing is established.
While in the womb, the fetus’s first stools that are passed, known as meconium, can block the fetus’s airways, preventing its ability to breathe. A pinched umbilical cord can also cause a reduction in blood flow that interferes with your ability to breathe properly. Placental abruption occurs when there is premature separation of the placenta from the uterus, which can lead to asphyxia. The condition of the mother before and during childbirth also directly affects the well-being of the baby.
A mother who has high blood pressure during pregnancy may have poor placental function, which can hinder proper oxygen production. If the mother has anesthesia-induced breathing problems during delivery, she may have insufficient oxygen in her blood which directly affects the oxygen levels of the fetus. Instances where the mother has low blood pressure during the delivery process can also result in oxygen depletion.
When a baby is born with low oxygen levels, they may have low blood pressure and low heart rate. Reduced oxygen levels not only threaten the baby’s ability to breathe on their own, but can affect organ function. It restricts blood flow to organs and tissues, which can hinder cells from functioning properly. Organs commonly affected by low oxygen levels include the brain, lungs, heart and blood vessels.
A baby born with low blood pressure, low red blood cell count, or severe anemia may have difficulty with independent breathing. If your baby is in shock after delivery, his body may have low oxygen levels. A baby born with lung or heart complications may also have an increased risk of experiencing symptoms associated with birth asphyxia.
Every child experiences asphyxia-related symptoms differently. Before delivery, a fetus may have highly acidic blood or an abnormal heart rate. After birth, a baby with a slow heart rate and shallow or weak breathing may be deprived of oxygen. If he or she has bluish skin color, also known as cyanosis, or poor reflexes, it is likely due to birth asphyxia. A diagnosis of asphyxia is confirmed by the administration of basic tests that look at the baby’s heartbeat, color, breathing, and reflexes.
This condition is considered a medical emergency. If the placenta is found to be supplying inadequate oxygen, an emergency delivery with induced labor and forceps or cesarean section will be done. When a newborn shows signs of asphyxia after delivery, the treating doctor will check the baby’s airway for blockages. If not, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) assisted ventilation will be given, which takes over the lung function of the newborn. A child’s prognosis depends on how long he has been deprived of oxygen.
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