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Perinatal asphixia means that there has been some injury to the fetus or the newborn around the time of birth resulting from too little blood flow to the fetus’s or newborn’s tissues or when there is too little oxygen in the blood causing the asphyxia of the newborn.
There are many causes, and sometimes the exact cause cannot be identified. Some common causes include the following: • Abnormal development of the fetus (for example, when there is a genetic abnormality) • Infection in the fetus • Exposure to certain drugs before birth • Pressure on the umbilical cord or a clot in one of the blood vessels in the umbilical cord • Sudden loss of blood Asphyxia can also occur if the function of the placenta is inadequate and the placenta cannot provide enough oxygen to the fetus during labor.
Regardless of the cause, affected newborns appear pale and lifeless, breathe weakly or not at all, and have a very slow heart rate. If asphyxia results from rapid blood loss, newborns will be in shock. Asphyxiated newborns may show signs of injury to one or more organ systems. Brain function may be affected, and newborns may experience lethargy, seizures, or even coma. Kidney function and the output of urine can be affected by the lack of oxygen but do recover. There may also be problems with the lungs and breathing. They are immediately given fluids into a vein and then a blood transfusion. Newborns receive support of breathing and circulation as needed. Newborns are kept warm, and blood sugar levels are monitored. Many survivors will be completely normal, but others will have permanent signs of neurologic damage, ranging from mild learning disorders to delayed development to cerebral palsy. Some severely asphyxiated infants will not survive. Specific causes of perinatal asphyxia should be identified if possible and treated as appropriate. For example, antibiotics are given to treat blood infections, and blood transfusions are given when too much blood has been lost. Recently, it has been shown that cooling the full-term newborn’s head for several hours beginning soon after birth offers some protection to the brain from injury and thus diminishes the neurologic damage. So every birth attendant should be aware of the situation to get a healthy baby for the world. By being a little aware, we can prevent the condition which may resulting in a handicapped baby.