Asphyxia of newborns
A child born with asphyxia is fighting for his life and existence. Unfortunately, children born with this disease often have tragic consequences. Fortunately, medicine does not stand still, and with the right help of doctors, proper care, a complete recovery of the body is possible. Dealing with a pediatrician

What is neonatal asphyxia

Asphyxia is a violation of the respiratory system, as a result of which the child experiences oxygen starvation. This pathology is of two types: primary, which occurs at birth, and secondary, which manifests itself in the first minutes or hours of a baby’s life.

Causes of asphyxia in newborns

As noted by pediatrician Dilshod Ruziev, diseases of a pregnant woman, pathological development of pregnancy, intrauterine infections can lead to fetal asphyxia.

– Most often, the cause of acute or intrauterine fetal hypoxia is:

  • immunological incompatibility of maternal blood and fetal blood;
  • intrauterine infections (herpes, chlamydia, toxoplasmosis, syphilis, cytomegalovirus, rubella);
  • aspiration asphyxia (complete or partial obturation of the airways with mucus or amniotic fluid);
  • anomalies in the development of the fetus;
  • extragenital pathology (diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis, lung or heart disease, anemia);
  • burdened obstetric history (complicated childbirth, post-term pregnancy, premature detachment of the placenta, preeclampsia);
  • the presence of bad habits in the mother, the use of prohibited substances by her, – says the specialist.

Fetal development disorders can also lead to asphyxia in infants, resulting in breathing problems, intracranial trauma in a baby received during the birth process, diseases of the nervous and respiratory systems, heart, and circulatory disorders in a child.

Signs of asphyxia in newborns

The most obvious sign of asphyxia in newborns is respiratory distress. In the future, it will also lead to a breakdown in the functions of the cardiovascular system, reflexes and muscle tone., notes the doctor.

– To assess the severity of asphyxia in newborns, the Apgar method (scale) is used. Doctors will evaluate the child’s breathing, heartbeat and muscle tone, — says the pediatrician.

So, if asphyxia has a mild degree, then the condition of the newborn on the Apgar scale is estimated at 6-7 points. If moderate, then 4 – 5, severe – 1 – 3. In case of clinical death of a newborn, the Apgar score is 0 points.

Signs of a mild degree of asphyxia in an infant:

  • the first breath in the first minute of life;
  • the child has reduced muscle tone;
  • there is cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle;
  • the baby is short of breath.

Signs of an average degree:

  • weakened breathing;
  • weak cry;
  • reduced muscle tone;
  • pulsation of the vessels of the umbilical cord.

Severe asphyxia has the following symptoms:

  • the child did not cry;
  • he has irregular breathing;
  • severe bradycardia;
  • muscle atony;
  • pallor of the skin;
  • development of adrenal insufficiency;
  • lack of pulsation of the vessels of the umbilical cord, says the doctor.

The degree of asphyxia of newborns according to the Apgar scale

  1. Mild degree of asphyxia – 6-7 points on the Apgar scale;
  2. The average degree of asphyxia is 4-5 points on the Apgar scale;
  3. Severe degree of asphyxia – 1-3 points on the Apgar scale.

Treatment of asphyxia of newborns

A baby born with asphyxia is immediately taken from the delivery room to the intensive care unit, where doctors provide him with urgent assistance: an urgent need to clean the nasopharynx and stomach from mucus, if necessary, intubate.

After resuscitation, the baby is in the intensive care unit. If he has a mild form of asphyxia, he will be placed in a special oxygen tent, where he will stay until his condition returns to normal.

If the form is medium or heavy, then it is placed in a flask, where oxygen is supplied. The pediatric neonatologist monitors the condition of the baby. He measures his temperature and controls the work of the intestines, as well as the respiratory system.

After treatment, the doctor will decide when to start breastfeeding. Usually, babies who have had a mild or moderate form of pathology are breastfed for the first time 16 hours after birth. Babies affected by a severe form are fed through a tube.

After discharge from the hospital, children who have had asphyxia should be observed by a pediatrician and a neuropathologist.

Diagnostics

– Asphyxia and its severity are diagnosed on the basis of Apgar scale data. To confirm the diagnosis, it may also be necessary to study the acid-base balance of the blood, the specialist continues..

Modern treatments

– A child born with asphyxia should immediately receive medical attention in order to avoid tragic consequences. All treatment of infants with asphyxia is aimed at restoring breathing, correcting existing disorders of hemodynamics, electrolyte balance and metabolism, says the doctor..

With asphyxia of newborns of mild and moderate severity, therapeutic measures include:

  • aspiration of contents from the oral cavity and nasopharynx;
  • assisted ventilation with a breathing mask;
  • the introduction through the vein of the umbilical cord of a hypertonic solution of glucose and cocarboxylase.

If the above measures do not help, then tracheal intubation will be performed, followed by sanitation of the respiratory tract, and the baby will be transferred to mechanical ventilation.

Prevention of asphyxia in newborns at home

In order to prevent asphyxia in a child, pregnant women should not miss scheduled appointments with a gynecologist and follow his recommendations. If any causes or diseases are identified, they must be treated under the supervision of a physician.

It is important for a woman in position to adhere to the correct daily routine, to devote sufficient time to sleep and rest. We must not forget about daily walks in the fresh air. It is better if they take place in a park or square. It is important to keep a positive attitude and receive positive emotions.

If the doctor prescribes vitamin-mineral complexes, they must be taken.

The correct course of pregnancy can prevent the development of factors leading to this condition.

Popular questions and answers

Answered by Dilshod Ruziev, pediatrician.

What are the consequences of neonatal asphyxia?

In severe neonatal asphyxia, if the child survives, there is a high risk of developing serious complications. For example, a severe form of asphyxia can cause the death of a newborn in the first hours or days of his life. If the child survived, but suffered a moderate or severe form of asphyxia, such disorders as perinatal convulsive encephalopathy, hydrocephalus, hypertensive syndrome, hypo- or hyperexcitability syndrome may occur.

How to care for a child with asphyxia?

The child must be given complete rest. His head should be in an elevated position. Oxygen therapy plays an important role. As mentioned above, the baby is in the incubator. A newborn child after asphyxia must be observed. It is necessary to control body temperature, bowel function, diuresis. Quite often, repeated cleaning of the respiratory tract from mucus and other contents is required. The start time of breastfeeding is determined individually, depending on the condition of the baby. In the future, the child should be observed by a pediatrician and a neurologist at the place of residence.

What are the high risk factors for the development of asphyxia in a child?

Asphyxia in an infant may appear due to violations of the course of pregnancy, pathologies of the pregnant woman or the fetus, lack of access to oxygen at the time of the first breath of the newborn (diagnosed as asphyxia of the lungs), abnormalities in the infant’s body.

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