Clinicoepidemiologic Correlates of Perinatal Asphyxia During the Peripartum Period

Indrani Das, Mousumi Datta, Sougata Choudhury, Suprit Basu, Debanjan Sinha, Sandip Samanta

Abstract

Aim: To identify the clinicoepidemiologic factors during the peripartum period that may contribute to a low 1-minute Apgar score in neonates born in a tertiary care hospital

Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, observational study done over 6 months from January 2018 to June 2018. Neonates with a birth weight ≥ 2 kg and 1-minute Apgar score of 0 to 3 and their mothers were considered for the study. Neonates born at gestational age < 34 weeks and those with any congenital anomaly were excluded. Epidemiologic data such as maternal age, education, and occupation and clinical risk factors related to pregnancy and delivery (including antepartum and intrapartum) were recorded and statistically analyzed.

Results: A total of 59 mother–neonate pairs were included in this study. Among the mothers, 27.12% and 20.3% mothers had a history of abortion and neonatal death/severe disease, respectively, while 23.7% had antepartum risk factors, 28.8% had intrapartum maternal risk factors, and 5.1% had fetal risk factors.

Conclusion: We found that there is a significant association of 1-minute Apgar score with maternal age, education, and occupation, whereas there was no obvious correlation with maternal residence, parity, and the number of antenatal visits.

According to the outcome of multiple logistic regression analysis, a history of abortion, antepartum risk factors, and fetal risk factors remain the statistically significant predictors of the 1-minute Apgar score.