Birth asphyxia--analysis of 235 cases

To look for risk factors leading to birth asphyxia in new borns admitted in a tertiary care unit Retrospective analysis. Neonatal Unit of National Institute of Child Health, Karachi from 1st January, 2001 to 31st August, 2001. Records of 235 new borns admitted with birth asphyxia during this period were analyzed. Variables studied included antenatal care, period of gestation, place of delivery, mode of delivery, birth weight and age at arrival in the hospital. Majority (71%) of mothers were booked and had antenatal care, similarly most (88%) of the babies were born at term and 75.3% were delivered in maternity homes or hospitals. Caesarian sections were performed in 14% cases and rest were all vaginal deliveries. Fifty seven percent newborns weighed more than 2.5 kg and 22.5% presented to the hospital within 6 hours of birth. Birth asphyxia occurring in such a high number of booked cases delivered at term with good weight, reflects the poor perinatal services offered in those maternity homes or hospitals. It is recommended that trained personnel and neonatal resuscitation equipment should be made mandatory in all maternity homes/hospitals.