Neonatal asphyxia, also known as birth or perinatal asphyxia, occurs when your baby does not receive enough oxygen as they are being born. This condition also refers to a lack of oxygen immediately before or after the birthing process. As with adults, a decrease in oxygen levels is never a good thing for babies, and it can cause conditions such as hypoxia, anaemia, and more.
Neonatal asphyxia is also a very frightening experience for parents, as babies with the condition are often immobile or quiet after they are born, which is abnormal. In serious cases, neonatal asphyxia can lead to permanent brain or developmental issues, or even death. Therefore, it is essential to treat your baby’s condition as soon as you or your doctor notice they are suffering from asphyxia.
The only good thing about neonatal asphyxia is that it is fairly easy to spot and diagnose. When the condition starts before the baby is born, your doctor can diagnose it by checking the baby’s heart rate. If it is abnormally slow, there is a good chance they have neonatal asphyxia and your doctor can prepare and begin treatment as soon as the baby is born. Your doctor will also check the baby’s acid levels, as too much acid indicates inadequate oxygen.
If the condition starts during or immediately after birth, here are the signs and symptoms your doctor will look for:
In extreme cases of neonatal asphyxia, your baby may also have seizures due to a lack of oxygen.
While all forms of neonatal asphyxia are because of inadequate oxygen during, before, or after birth, there are many different reasons this can happen.
While there are other potential causes of neonatal asphyxia, these are a few of the most common.
In addition to being easy to spot visibly, there are also concrete tests to determine if your baby has neonatal asphyxia.
The Apgar test is a test administered to babies immediately after they are born to check their heart rate, muscle tone, reflexes, and more. Ideally, babies should get a score of 7 or higher. If they score between 0 and 3 for more than five minutes, they have neonatal asphyxia.
There are numerous visible signs indicating neonatal asphyxia, including laboured breathing, poor blood clotting, seizures, low blood pressure, and not urinating.
A pH study to check the acid levels of your baby are also a good test to determine if they have neonatal asphyxia.
While neonatal asphyxia is frightening for parents and their babies, it is a very treatable condition as long as you spot it early. Here are some of the best treatments for neonatal asphyxia:
If you have abnormally low oxygen levels while pregnant, your doctor may put you on supplemental oxygen therapy to ensure your blood oxygen levels do not put your baby in jeopardy.
After your baby is born, they may need blood pressure and dialysis medications.
If your baby is having severe and life-threatening breathing problems, they may need to be put on a ventilator.
In some instances, having a natural vaginal birth can result in neonatal asphyxia. Therefore, your doctor may recommend an emergency C-section instead.
Administering therapeutic hypothermia to the baby can reduce the risk of complications from neonatal asphyxia.
In most cases, as long as the baby receives immediate treatment, they make a full and lasting recovery.