Consequences of intrauterine acidosis for early morbidity of term newborn infants.

OBJECTIVES

The study was designed to evaluate early morbidity of term newborn infants according to the umbilical artery pH and umbilical artery base excess.

STUDY

DESIGN

The study was based on the 1 173 infants who were born at term in the study period in 1997 with a UA-pH below 7.20. A retrospective review was carried out of maternal and infant records during the study period. All data were evaluated using SPSS for windows.

RESULTS

Apgar-values and UA-pH correlated closely, the rate of 1-minute Apgar scores < 7 increased with decreasing UA-pH. The rate of 5-minute Apgar score < 7 increased strongly with UA-pH below 7.00. The study showed how closely UA-pH values are related to UA-BE values. Of newborns with UA-BE values of 0 to - 9 mmol / l 7 % had 1-minute Apgar scores < 7, 53 % of cases with UA-BE </= - 17 mmol / l were recorded with 1-minute Apgar scores < 7.

CONCLUSIONS

It was demonstated that low Apgar scores - as well as treansfer rates - increase if UA-pH falls below 7.1 and the base excess at the same time is below - 10 mmol / l. The aim of modern obstetrics should be to promote the birth of vital children with normal pH values.