Water and electrolyte abnormalities in the human brain after severe intrapartum asphyxia.

In a necropsy study of brain water, sodium, and potassium concentrations is newborn infants, abnormalities were found in 10 out of 16 cases who were severely asphyxiated at birth. It is concluded that, although frank cerebral cortical necrosis is not often recognizable in perinatal deaths, early anoxic-ischaemic cerebral damage is frequent after intrapartum asphyxia. Diffuse cerebral swelling was associated with marked electrolyte disturbances and may be regarded as a feature of anoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy in asphyxiated newborn infants.