Outcome Significance of Perinatal Versus Postnatal Fetal Depression, a Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy HIE, causing significant mortality and long-term morbidity as a perinatal depression with cord pH <7.00, Apgar score <3 at 5 minutes of age with multiple organ involvement .Another form of depression when newborn’s was born fine then insult seriously within the first seven days of life.

Objective: Compare the outcome of perinatal to those with postnatal fetal depression.

Materials and Method

Retrospective study of infants admitted at birth or within the first 7 days of life to neonatal or pediatric intensive care and followed over 18months in the women's and Hamad teaching hospitals, Doha, Qatar.

Results: Forty four cases in the study 22 in each group, mean gestational age 36.8wks for group 1with perinatal HIE compared to 38.8wks for group 2 postnatal HIE(P value 0.04), Apgar score significantly different, all cases in group1 required resuscitation compared to 8 cases in group 2 (P value 0.00).

Conclusion: The outcome of cases of postnatal HIE was much better than that of Perinatal HIE. Preterm depressed babies present earlier and more severe than term babies.