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OBSTETRICS
Acidemia in neonates with a 5-minute Apgar score
of 7 or greater e What are the outcomes?
Bethany A. Sabol, MD; Aaron B. Caughey, MD, PhD
BACKGROUND: The Apgar score is universally used for fetal RESULTS: In this cohort, the incidence of an umbilical artery pH of 7.0
assessment at the time of birth, whereas, the collection of fetal cord blood was 0.5%, of a pH 7.1 was 3.4%, of a base excess e12 mmol/L was
gases is performed commonly in high-risk situations or in the setting of 1.4%, and of e10 mmol/L was 4.0%. Rates of neonatal acidemia were
Apgar scores of <7, which is a less standardized approach. It has been greater in the setting of meconium (4.3% vs 3.2%; P<.001), placental
well-established that neonatal acidemia at the time of delivery can result in abruption (13.2% vs 3.4%; P<.001), and cesarean deliveries (5.8% vs
significant neonatal morbidity and death. Because of this association, 2.8%; P<.001), despite normal 5-minute Apgar scores. Additionally,
knowledge of the fetal acid-base status and detection of acidemia at the umbilical artery pH 7.0 was associated with an increased risk of res-
time of delivery can serve as a sensitive and useful component in the piratory distress syndrome (adjusted odds ratio, 6.5; 95% confidence
assessment of a neonate’s risk. Umbilical cord blood gas analysis is an interval, 2.9e14.3) and neonatal intensive care unit admission (adjusted
accurate and validated tool for the assessment of neonatal acidemia at the odds ratio, 10.8; 95% confidence interval, 6.8e17.4). Base excess of
time of delivery. Because the collection of fetal cord blood gases is not a e12 mmol/L was also associated with an increased risk of neonatal
standardized practice, it is possible that, with such a varied approach, sepsis (adjusted odds ratio, 4.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.9e12.1).
some cases of neonatal acidemia are not detected, particularly in the Finally, when examined together, neonates with both a pH of 7.0 and
setting of reassuring Apgar scores. base excess of e12 mmol/L continued to demonstrate an increased risk
OBJECTIVE: In a setting of universally obtained cord blood gases, we of neonatal intensive care unit admission and respiratory distress syn-
sought to identify the rates of acidemia and associated factors in neonates drome, with adjusted odds ratios of 9.6 and 6.0, respectively. This risk
with 5-minute Apgar scores of 7. persisted in neonates with a pH of 7.1 and base excess of e10 mmol/
STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study identified all term, L as well, with adjusted odds ratios of 4.5 and 1.1, respectively.
singleton, nonanomolous neonates with 5-minute Apgar scores of 7. CONCLUSION: Because neonates with reassuring Apgar scores have
The incidence of umbilical artery pH 7.0 or 7.1 and base excess a residual risk of neonatal acidemia that is associated with higher rates of
e12 mmol/L or e10 mmol/L were examined overall and in associ- adverse outcomes, the potential utility of obtaining universal cord blood
ation with obstetric complications and adverse neonatal outcomes. Chi- gases should be further investigated.
squared tests were used to compare proportions, and multivariable
logistic regression was used to control for potential confounders. Key words: acidemia, Apgar, neonatal outcome, umbilical cord blood gas
TABLE 5
Multivariable regressiona results for neonatal outcomes in neonates with a 5-minute Apgar score of >7 and
base excess of £e12 mmol/L and £e10 mmol/L compared with those with a base excess of
>e12 mmol/L and >e10 mmol/L
Outcomes Adjusted odds ratio 95% Confidence interval P value
Base excess e12 mmol/L
Meconium aspiration syndrome 4.21 2.12e8.38 <.001c
Respiratory distress syndrome 2.21 1.08e4.53 .03b
Sepsis 4.72 1.85e12.05 .001b
Neonatal intensive care unit admission 2.92 1.96e4.35 <.001c
Base excess e10 mmol/L
Meconium aspiration syndrome 2.67 1.57e4.53 <.001c
Respiratory distress syndrome 1.40 0.811e2.43 .225
Sepsis 3.13 1.56e6.25 .001b
Neonatal intensive care unit admission 2.33 1.77e3.07 <.001c
a
Regression adjusted for parity, maternal age, maternal race/ethnicity, insurance type, chronic hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus, and preeclampsia; b P < .05; c P < .001.
Sabol & Caughey. Neonatal acidemia with 5-minute Apgar 7. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2016.
however, that the vast majority of neo- majority of neonates who have cerebral this study, we were unable to control for
nates who are born with acidemia will palsy are not acidemic at birth.7,16 all possible confounding variables and
not go on to experience any long-term This study is not without limitations. were limited to information previously
neurologic deficits and that the Because of the retrospective nature of obtained. Thus, there may be persistent
TABLE 6
Combined impact of low pH and elevated base excess on neonatal outcomes in neonates with a 5-minute
Apgar score >7
No acidemia Acidemia
pH >7.0 & base pH >7.1 & base pH 7.0 & base pH 7.1 & base
Outcomes excess >e12 mmol/L excess >e10 mmol/L excess e12 mmol/L excess e10 mmol/L
Meconium aspiration 99.3 99.3 0.7 0.7
syndrome, %
Adjusted odds ratio — — 2.5 (0.3e18.6) 2.1 (0.9e5.2)
(95% confidence interval)
Respiratory distress 98.9 98.9 1.1a 1.1a
syndrome, %
Adjusted odds ratio — — 6.0 (2.1e16.9)a 3.4 (1.9e6.2)a
(95% confidence interval)
Sepsis, % 99.8 99.8 0.2 0.2b
Adjusted odds ratio — — — 2.3 (0.7e7.4)
(95% confidence interval)
Neonatal intensive care unit 95.5 95.6 4.5a 4.4a
admission, %
Adjusted odds ratio — — 9.6 (5.2e17.8)a 4.6 (3.3e6.5)a
(95% confidence interval)
Regression adjusted for parity, maternal age, maternal race/ethnicity, insurance type, chronic hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus, and preeclampsia.
a
P < .001; b P < .05.
Sabol & Caughey. Neonatal acidemia with 5-minute Apgar 7. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2016.
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Author and article information
whether knowledge of acidemia at the From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Gynecologists Committee on Obstetric Practice.
time of delivery biased the treatment that Umbilical cord blood gas and acid-base anal- Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR.
the neonate received. We were also un- ysis. ACOG Committee Opinion No.: 348. Received April 5, 2016; revised May 22, 2016;
able to assess whether the knowledge of Obstet Gynecol 2006;108:1319-22. accepted May 24, 2016.
7. Thorp JA, Dildy GA, Yeomans ER, et al. The authors report no conflict of interest.
fetal acidemia at the time of delivery had Presented as a poster at the 35th Society of Maternal-
any impact on management or short- or Umbilical cord blood gas analysis at delivery. Am
J Obstet Gynecol 1996;175:517-22. Fetal Medicine Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, February
long-term outcomes. Further investiga- 8. Victory R, Penava D, da Silva O, Natale R, 2-8, 2015.
tion into how the knowledge of umbili- Richardson B. Umbilical cord pH and base Corresponding author: Bethany Sabol, MD. sabol@
cal cord pH at the time of delivery excess values in relation to adverse outcome ohsu.edu