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Original Research ajog.

org

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

F etal and subsequent neonatal acid-


emia is associated with multiorgan
dysfunction, hypoxic ischemic enceph-
assessment of neonatal acidemia at time
of delivery.
The components of umbilical cord
outcomes, universal umbilical cord
blood gas analysis at the time of delivery
is not a routine practice. The American
alopathy, seizures, cerebral palsy, long- blood gas, which most commonly are College of Obstetricians and Gynecolo-
term neurologic deficits, and neonatal used as a means of capturing neonates gists recommends the use of selective
death.1-6 Because of this association, who are at risk for adverse outcomes, are umbilical cord blood sampling.6,7
knowledge of the fetal acid-base status pH and base excess. Studies have Common thresholds for obtaining
and detection of acidemia at the time of demonstrated an increased risk of neonatal cord blood gases are a 5-minute
delivery can serve as a sensitive and neonatal morbidity when umbilical ar- Apgar score of <7 and in patients who
useful component in the assessment of a tery cord pH is 7.0.1,7 Recent studies are at high risk for neonatal asphyxia (ie,
neonate’s risk of morbidity and death. have also demonstrated that even mod- cord prolapse, placental abruption).
Umbilical cord blood gas analysis is an erate degrees of fetal acidemia (pH Because the collection of fetal cord blood
accurate and validated tool for the threshold of 7.10) may place neonates gases is not a standardized practice, there
at risks for adverse outcomes.2,8 Base is great variation in collection practice
excess is an additional threshold value among institutions and among providers
that is used to indicate the severity and within the same institution. It is possible
Cite this article as: Sabol BA, Caughey AB. Acidemia in duration of neonatal acidemia. At the that, with such a varied approach, some
neonates with a 5-minute Apgar score of 7 or greater e time of delivery, base excess levels of cases of neonatal acidemia are not
What are the outcomes?. Am J Obstet Gynecol
e12 mmol/L (10%) and e16 mmol/ detected, particularly in the setting of
2016;215:486.e1-6.
L (40%) are associated with moderate-to- reassuring Apgar scores. Additionally, it
0002-9378/$36.00 severe newborn infant complications.3,4 is unclear whether cases of neonatal
ª 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2016.05.035 Although pH and base excess are acidemia with a normal Apgar score by 5
useful tools in the prediction of adverse minutes are clinically important.

486.e1 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology OCTOBER 2016


ajog.org OBSTETRICS Original Research

The objective of our study was to meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS),


TABLE 1
assess the rate of neonatal acidemia that respiratory distress syndrome (RDS),
Maternal demographics
occurs in neonates with a 5-minute and neonatal sepsis.
Apgar score of 7. Additionally, we Chi-squared tests were used to pH, %
sought to determine factors that are compare proportions and multivariable
Demographic >7.1 7.1
associated with an increased risk of logistic regression was used to control
neonatal acidemia in this setting and for potential confounders. The potential Paritya
their associated outcomes. confounding variables that were exam- Nulliparous 96.9 3.1
ined were race/ethnicity, maternal age, Multiparous 96.2 3.8
Materials and Methods parity, insurance status, gestational dia-
Age, y b
This is a retrospective cohort study of all betes mellitus, chronic hypertension,
nonanomalous, term, singleton neo- and preeclampsia. A probability value of <35 96.8 3.2
nates who were born at Moffitt-Long <.05 was considered statistically signifi- >35 95.7 4.3
Hospital from 1990 until 2009 with a cant. Multivariable analyses are pre- Race b

5-minute Apgar score of 7 (N¼26,669) sented as odds ratios with 95%


White 96.0 4.0
in a setting where routine collection of confidence intervals (CIs).
cord blood gases was attempted in every Black 96.4 3.6
delivery. Deliveries were excluded if the Results Hispanic 96.3 3.7
5-minute Apgar score was <7 (n¼873) Of the 26,669 deliveries that met the Asian 97.6 2.4
or if a cord blood gas was not obtained, inclusion criteria, the overall incidence
Other 98 2
was inadequate, or was only a venous of an umbilical artery pH 7.0 was 0.5%
sample (n¼3385). Approval from the (n¼133), of umbilical artery cord pH Insurance type
institutional review board at Oregon 7.1 was 3.4% (n¼906), of base excess Public 96.6 3.4
Health & Science University was e12 mmol/L was 1.4% (n¼373), and Private 96.9 3.1
obtained. All diagnoses were made by of base excess e10 mmol/L was 4.0%
Gestational diabetes
the providing clinicians. Detailed infor- (n¼1067). Maternal characteristics mellitus
mation on all deliveries during the study between those with and without a
Yes 96.6 3.4
time frame were abstracted from the neonate with an umbilical artery pH of
medical records by trained abstractors 7.1 were similar with respect to No 96.0 4.0
and recorded in an electronic database. insurance status and rates of gestational Chronic hypertension
The abstracted data were reviewed diabetes mellitus and chronic hyperten- Yes 96.6 3.4
monthly by a Neonatologist and sion but differed in regards to maternal
Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist to age, parity, and rates of preeclampsia No 96.2 3.8
b
ensure accuracy. (Table 1). Women who delivered neo- Preeclampsia
Within the cohort of deliveries with a nates with a pH of 7.1 were more likely Yes 96.6 3.4
5-minute Apgar score of 7, the inci- to be nulliparous and >35 years old and No 94.6 3.4
dence of deliveries with an umbilical to have preeclampsia. a
P < .05; P < .001.
b
artery pH 7.0, pH 7.1, base excess The incidence of abnormal cord blood Sabol & Caughey. Neonatal acidemia with 5-minute
e12 mmol/L, and base excess e10 gases was compared with obstetric Apgar 7. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2016.
mmol/L were then identified. To identify complications that included placental
risk factors for abnormal cord blood abruption, presence of meconium,
gases in this setting, these groups were shoulder dystocia, mode of delivery, RDS, MAS, and NICU admissions.
then examined in a variety of maternal maternal gestational diabetes mellitus, Similarly, a cord blood gas base excess of
subgroups that included mode of chronic hypertension, and preeclampsia. e10 mmol/L or e12 mmol/L was
delivery and those women with placental Rates of neonatal acidemia (pH 7.1), also associated with these outcomes in
abruption, presence of meconium, despite a normal 5-minute Apgar score, addition to increased rates of neonatal
shoulder dystocia, and preexisting were greater in the setting of meconium sepsis (Table 3).
maternal conditions such as gestational (4.3% vs 3.2%; P<.001), placental Multivariable regression analyses were
diabetes mellitus, chronic hypertension, abruption (13.2% vs 3.4%; P<.001), performed to control for potential con-
and preeclampsia. cesarean deliveries (5.8% vs 2.8%; founding variables that included parity,
Next, several neonatal outcomes were P<.001), and pregnancies that were maternal age, maternal race/ethnicity,
compared between acidemic and non- complicated by preeclampsia (6.3% vs insurance type, chronic hypertension,
acidemic neonates who had 5-minute 3.9%; P<.001; Table 2). gestational diabetes mellitus, and pre-
Apgar scores of 7. Neonatal outcomes With regard to neonatal outcomes, a eclampsia. After we controlled for these
that were examined included neonatal cord blood gas with pH of 7.0 and 7.1 variables, we determined that neonates
intensive care unit (NICU) admission, was associated with increased rates of with a pH of 7.0, despite an Apgar of

OCTOBER 2016 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 486.e2


Original Research OBSTETRICS ajog.org

>7 at 5-minutes, had a statistically sig-


TABLE 2
nificant increased risk of RDS and NICU
Incidence of neonatal acidemia with 5-minute Apgar scores of ‡7
admission with an adjusted odds ratio
(aOR) of 6.5 (95% CI, 2.9e14.3) and pH Base excess pH Base excess
10.8 (95% CI, 6.8e17.4) respectively Characteristic 7.0, % e12 mmol/L, % 7.1, % e10 mmol/L, %
(Table 4). Similarly, in neonates with Meconium
a pH 7.1 and normal Apgar scores,
Yes 0.7a 2.0b 4.3b 5.2b
there were also statistically significant
increases in rates of MAS, RDS, and No 0.4 1.2 3.2 3.7
NICU admissions (Table 4). Abruption
Similar to the low pH thresholds, base Yes 3.6b 3.7 13.2b 8.6a
excess thresholds were examined as well.
No 0.5 1.4 3.4 4.0
A base excess of e12 mmol/L was
associated with a statistically significant Mode of delivery
increase in MAS (aOR, 4.2; 95% CI, Cesarean 1.0b 1.7a 5.8b 4.6a
2.1e8.4), neonatal sepsis (aOR, 4.7; 95% Vaginal 0.3 1.3 2.8 3.9
CI, 1.9e12.1), RDS (aOR, 2.2; 95% CI,
Shoulder dystocia
1.1e4.4), and NICU admission (aOR,
2.9; 95% CI, 2.0e4.4). Similar trends Yes 0.5 1.5 3.6 4.2
were also seen with a base excess of No 0.3 0.6 3.4 2.8
e10 mmol/L (Table 5). Operative delivery
Finally, to better capture and evaluate
Yes 0.5 1.8a 4.3b 5.4
the effects of a mixed or metabolic
acidosis in neonates with an Apgar score No 0.4 1.3 3.3 3.8
of 7 at 5-minutes, a combined variable Gestational
that encompassed both pH and base diabetes mellitus
excess was created. When we examined Yes 1.1 1.3 4.8 3.4
them together, we found that neonates No 0.8 1.7 4.0 4.5
with both a pH 7.0 and base excess
e12 mmol/L continued to demon- Chronic hypertension
strate an increased risk of NICU admis- Yes 0.5 1.4 4.5 4.9
sion and RDS, with aORs of 9.6 and 6.0, No 0.8 1.7 4.0 4.5
respectively. This risk persisted in neo-
Preeclampsia
nates with a pH 7.1 and base excess
e10 mmol/L as well, with aORs of 4.5 Yes 1.6a 2.8a 6.3b 7.8b
and 1.1 (Table 6). No 0.7 1.7 3.9 4.42a
a
P < .05; b P < .001.
Comment Sabol & Caughey. Neonatal acidemia with 5-minute Apgar 7. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2016.
The Apgar score was proposed in 1952 as
a means of rapidly evaluating the clinical
status of a newborn infant and currently there is still a residual risk of neonatal outcomes and thus should not be used
remains an accepted method for acidemia. Similar to other studies, our for that purpose.”9 It is not meant to be
newborn infant assessment immediately study found that neonatal acidemia is used in lieu of a cord blood gas for the
after delivery.9 In many institutions, it is associated with adverse neonatal out- assessment of neonatal acid-base status,
not common practice to obtain a cord comes. However, our study uniquely but rather in conjunction with umbilical
blood gas, as a means of additional demonstrates that neonates with acid- cord blood gas for an overall impression
assessment, in deliveries with an Apgar emia at the time of delivery, despite a of neonatal status. Furthermore, there
score of 7, despite literature to suggest normal Apgar score, have worse out- are limited studies on the acid-base sta-
poor correlation between Apgar scores at comes compared with their nonacidemic tus of neonates with normal Apgar
1 and 5 minutes and resultant neonatal counterparts. scores, which is likely because of varia-
acid-base status.10,11 Neonatal acidemia The American College of Obstetrics & tions in umbilical cord blood sampling
occurs in 1e2% of deliveries; it generally Gynecology endorses the Apgar score as practices.
has been believed that acidemia in clin- a tool to identify the need for immediate By taking advantage of a clinical
ically vigorous neonates is insignificant.7 neonatal resuscitation but cautions setting that attempted to obtain univer-
Albeit rare, our study demonstrates that, that it is not predictive of “individual sal cord blood gases, our study begins to
in the setting of normal Apgar scores, neonatal mortality or neurologic fill this gap in knowledge by assessing a

486.e3 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology OCTOBER 2016


ajog.org OBSTETRICS Original Research

are born with acidemia will not require


TABLE 3
additional intervention or develop sub-
Neonatal outcomes with a 5-minute Apgar score >7
sequent morbidity. With that being said,
Meconium Respiratory Neonatal Malin et al,1 in a recent systemic review
Cord blood gas aspiration distress intensive care and meta-analysis of umbilical cord pH
component syndrome, % syndrome, % Sepsis, % unit admission, % and perinatal and long-term outcomes,
pH concluded that “increased initial sur-
7.1 1.7a 4.7b 0.4 11.4b veillance of neonates born with a low
arterial cord pH, regardless of their
>7.1 0.7a 1.0b 0.2 4.3b
clinical condition, is warranted as the
7.0 1.9 a
7.6 b
0 28.9b odds of complications have been shown
>7.0 0.7a 1.1b 0.2 4.4b to be higher in this group.” Based on the
Base excess, mmol/L findings of our study, we agree with this
conclusion and find merit in universal
>e10 0.6b 1.1a 0.2b 4.4b
umbilical cord blood sampling as a
e10 1.7b 2.0a 1.0b 8.0b method of identifying neonates who are
>e12 0.7 b
1.1 a
0.2 b
4.5b at risk.
e12 2.6b 2.9a 1.4b 9.7b Although the current study demon-
strated specific neonatal complications
a
P < .05; b P < .001.
Sabol & Caughey. Neonatal acidemia with 5-minute Apgar 7. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2016. that are associated with abnormal
umbilical artery cord blood gases, addi-
tional benefits to universal cord blood
gas collection may exist from a quality
large cohort of neonates with normal the NICU. These risks were further standpoint. First, when cord blood gases
Apgar scores and comparing the inci- increased with the severity of acidemia. are obtained only in the setting of a low
dence of acidemia with subsequent We acknowledge that the incidence of Apgar score, they are often being done in
neonatal outcomes. Our study demon- neonatal acidemia in the setting of an emergent setting. Obtaining cord
strated that, even in neonates born with a normal Apgar scores and reassuring blood gases in this setting is extremely
reassuring clinical status, acidemia can clinical status is an overall rare occur- important; therefore, having a routine
still occur and that neonates with acid- rence; our study accounts for just approach to collection is likely to
emia are at a significantly higher risk of 0.5e3.4% of deliveries. We also improve the probability of a successful
having RDS, MAS, and admission to acknowledge that most neonates who and interpretable cord blood gas sample.
Second, the information from the cord
blood gas, normal or abnormal, can be
useful in interpreting the fetal heart rate
TABLE 4 monitoring strip for quality improve-
Multivariable regressiona results for neonatal outcomes in neonates ment purposes. Given our relatively poor
with a 5-minute Apgar score of >7 and pH £7.0 and pH £7.1 compared ability to interpret and use fetal heart rate
pH >7.0 and pH >7.1 monitoring, especially its correlation
with identifying neonatal acidemia,
Adjusted 95% Confidence
opportunities to improve its predictive
Outcomes odds ratio interval P value
ability should be embraced.12-15
pH 7.0 When discussing the benefits of uni-
Meconium aspiration syndrome 1.47 0.20e10.72 .699 versal cord blood gas collection, we
Respiratory distress syndrome 6.47 2.93e14.28 <.001c would be remiss to not address the
Neonatal intensive care unit admission 10.84 6.76e17.38 <.001c
medico-legal implications and associ-
ated costs. The actual cost of cord blood
pH 7.1 gas collection is relatively inexpensive,
Meconium aspiration syndrome 2.43 1.30e4.53 .005b approximately $3.50e$5.00 per sample;
Respiratory distress syndrome 4.60 3.10e6.84 <.001c however, there is wide variation in the
Sepsis 1.67 0.60e4.65 .328
cost charged by the hospital.7 In our
current medico-legal environment, there
Neonatal intensive care unit admission 3.68 2.81e4.82 <.001c is understandable concern surrounding
a
Regression adjusted for parity, maternal age, maternal race/ethnicity, insurance type, chronic hypertension, gestational universal cord blood gas analysis and
diabetes mellitus, and preeclampsia; b P < .05; c P < .001.
Sabol & Caughey. Neonatal acidemia with 5-minute Apgar 7. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2016. implications of unexpected neonatal
acidemia. One must remember,

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Original Research OBSTETRICS ajog.org

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.

486.e5 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology OCTOBER 2016


ajog.org OBSTETRICS Original Research

confounding in our multivariable influences management and outcomes is events for infants delivering at term. Am J Obstet
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long-term neonatal outcomes that Despite these limitations, the results Gynecologists. The Apgar score. Committee
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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

OCTOBER 2016 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 486.e6

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