Neurodevelopmental outcome at 24 months of healthy infants at birth with an umbilical artery blood pH ≤ 7 and/or hyperlactacidemia ≥ 7 mmol/L

Nonreassuring fetal status during labor and offspring's childhood neurodevelopment at 3 years of age: The Japan Environment and Children's Study

OBJECTIVE

Although prior attempts have failed to identify the beneficial effects of intensive fetal monitoring on cerebral palsy, the association between nonreassuring fetal status (NRFS) during labor and the incidence of long-term neurodevelopmental delays in offspring remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate this association using a nationwide birth cohort.

METHODS

Data from 72 869 women with singleton deliveries at and after 37 weeks of gestation from the Japan Environment and Children's Study (2011-2014) were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the odds ratios (ORs) for neurodevelopmental delays using the Ages & Stages Questionnaire (Third Edition) in offspring aged 3 years.

RESULTS

The adjusted ORs for personal-social problems were 1.52 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-2.16) for offspring delivered vaginally by nulliparous mothers and 1.51 (95% CI, 1.05-2.18) (for males, 1.70 [95% CI, 1.15-2.50]) for those delivered via cesarean section. No significant changes in adjusted ORs for neurodevelopmental delays were observed among participants without neonatal Apgar scores (ASs) <7 and without umbilical arterial pH (UmA-pH) <7.20.

CONCLUSION

NRFS during labor was associated with an increased incidence of personal-social problems in offspring aged 3 years. However, this association was not confirmed after excluding participants with neonatal ASs <7 and UmA-pH <7.20. The association between NRFS and offspring's neurodevelopmental delays might vary based on delivery settings, offspring sex, and short-term neonatal outcomes.

Umbilical arterial lactate levels after normal vaginal and elective cesarean delivery: The role of a longer active second stage most significant in high levels after vaginal delivery

AIM

To evaluate umbilical arterial lactate concentrations after spontaneous vaginal delivery and after elective Cesarean delivery, and to study the simultaneous effects of maternal and obstetric variables in high lactate levels in vaginally delivered healthy term singletons.

METHODS

The birth register study included information about the umbilical artery lactate values and clinical perinatal data from 7723 women and their singleton newborns (7301 spontaneous vaginal and 422 elective cesareans) from Kuopio University Hospital, Finland. High lactate levels were evaluated more extensively among healthy term neonates (N = 6541), to evaluate high levels after normal vaginal labors.

RESULTS

The mean lactate level was significantly lower after elective cesarean compared to vaginal delivery (2.42 [0.94] vs. 3.56 [1.62] mmol/l; p < 0.0001). Consequently, the 90th percentile limit values were 3.60 and 5.80 mmol/L. Among healthy term newborns born vaginally, higher lactate values (≥5.80 mmol/L) were independently associated with a longer duration of the active second stage of labor (ORs 1.91-10.97) and duration of ruptured fetal membranes (ORs 1.36-2.46), higher gestational age at birth (ORs 1.41-1.86), null parity (OR 2.17), maternal infection (OR 1.81) and short maternal stature (OR 1.45). We report 90th/95th limits for umbilical arterial lactate values in relation to the various durations of labors for term newborns who are delivered by the vaginal route.

CONCLUSIONS

Even though the high umbilical lactate levels may indicate serious birth asphyxia, levels after vaginal birth reflect the physiological stress and subclinical transient asphyxia frequently seen in normal vaginal deliveries.

Considering the Effects and Maternofoetal Implications of Vascular Disorders and the Umbilical Cord

The umbilical cord is a critical anatomical structure connecting the placenta with the foetus, fulfilling multiple functions during pregnancy and hence influencing foetal development, programming and survival. Histologically, the umbilical cord is composed of three blood vessels: two arteries and one vein, integrated in a mucous connective tissue (Wharton's jelly) upholstered by a layer of amniotic coating. Vascular alterations in the umbilical cord or damage in this tissue because of other vascular disorders during pregnancy are worryingly related with detrimental maternofoetal consequences. In the present work, we will describe the main vascular alterations presented in the umbilical cord, both in the arteries (Single umbilical artery, hypoplastic umbilical artery or aneurysms in umbilical arteries) and the vein (Vascular thrombosis, aneurysms or varicose veins in the umbilical vein), together with other possible complications (Velamentous insertion, vasa praevia, hypercoiled or hypocoiled cord, angiomyxoma and haematomas). Likewise, the effect of the main obstetric vascular disorders like hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (specially pre-eclampsia) and chronic venous disease on the umbilical cord will also be summarized herein.

Fetal heart rate patterns in labor and the risk of neonatal encephalopathy: A case control study

OBJECTIVE

To describe the accuracy of intrapartum fetal heart rate abnormalities as defined by National Institute of Health and Care Excellence guidelines to predict moderate-severe neonatal encephalopathy of apparent hypoxic-ischemic etiology.

STUDY DESIGN

A case-control study of HIE risk factors was conducted. Eligible babies were born in a single maternity hospital in Dublin, Ireland between September 2006, and November 2017 at ≥35 + 0 weeks' gestational age. Cases were eligible babies with moderate-severe neonatal encephalopathy of definite or apparent hypoxic-ischemic etiology. Controls were eligible babies born before and after each case with normal Apgar scores. The included subjects who had intrapartum fetal heart rate recordings were identified. Pattern features (baseline rate, variability, accelerations, decelerations [early, late, variable, prolonged], bradycardia, sinusoidal pattern) were manually identified blind to all clinical details by one of the authors. Each 15-minute segment was then algorithmically categorized (uninterpretable, normal, suspicious, pathological).

RESULTS

Of 88 cases and 176 controls, 71 cases (81%) and 146 controls (83%) were admitted to the delivery suite in labor. From that group, intrapartum FHR traces longer than 15 min were available for 52 (73%) cases and 118 (83%) controls. The FHR pattern feature with the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was the maximum number of consecutive segments in which the baseline was >160 bpm (0.71 [95% confidence interval: 0.62-0.80]). The category variable with the highest area under the curve was the number of suspicious segments (0.76 [95% confidence interval: 0.67-0.84]). A tri-variate logistic regression model incorporating the total number of segments, the number of "suspicious" segments classed, and the number of "pathological" segments achieved an area under the curve of 0.78 (95% confidence interval: 0.70-0.86). With 95% specificity, this model correctly identified 17 cases (33%) at a median time before delivery of 2 h and 18 min (interquartile range: 01:19-04:40).

CONCLUSIONS

The power of fetal heart rate analysis to predict neonatal encephalopathy is hampered by poor specificity given the rarity of the outcome. When analyzing a suspicious trace, it is beneficial to consider the overall duration of the suspicious pattern.

Perinatal outcome and need of care for term asphyxiated newborns without moderate or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

AIM

Birth asphyxia can lead to organ dysfunction, varying from isolated biological acidosis to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Pathophysiology of moderate or severe HIE is now well known and guidelines exist regarding the care required in this situation. However, for newborns without moderate or severe HIE, no consensus is available. Our objective was to describe the immediate neonatal consequences and need for care of asphyxiated newborns without moderate or severe HIE.

METHODS

Multicentre retrospective study from January 2015 to December 2017 in two academic centres, including neonates ≥37 gestational weeks with pathological foetal acidemia (umbilical arterial pH<7.00 and/or lactate≥10 mmol/L).

RESULTS

Among 18 550 births, 161 (0.9%) had pathological foetal acidemia. 142 (88.0%) were not diagnosed with moderate or severe HIE. Among them, 82 (58.0%) were hospitalised. 13 (9.0%) had respiratory failure and required nutritional support. 100 (70.0%) underwent blood sampling, which showed at least one biological anomaly in 66 (66.0%) of cases.

CONCLUSION

Newborns born with pathological foetal acidemia without the occurrence of moderate or severe HIE had metabolic disorders and could need organ support. A prospective study describing this vulnerable population would help to establish consensus guidelines for the management of this population.