الفهرس 
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Abstract
Perinatal asphyxia is the medical condition resulting from
deprivation of oxygen to a newborn infant that lasts long enough
during the birth process to cause physical harm, usually to the brain
leading to neonatal encephalopathy.
Asphyxia remains a severe condition leading to significant
mortality and morbidity. Perinatal asphyxia has an incidence of 1 to 6
per 1,000 live full-term births, and represents the third most common
cause of neonatal death.
Perinatal asphyxia can arise from a number of antepartum and
intrapartum risk factors including severe maternal anaemia or
hypertension, traumatic birth and interruption to the umbilical cord
circulation during labour which results in cessation of respiratory gas
exchange to the fetus.
The neonate who is encephalopathic may have an abnormal
state of consciousness (eg, hyperalert, irritable, lethargic, diminished
spontaneous movements, respiratory or feeding difficulties, poor tone,
tremors, jitteriness, seizures, absent primitive reflexes and seizure
activity), The infant will often exhibit low Apgar scores and a weak or
absent cry and apnea with bradycardia.
Guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) for
HIE indicate that all of the following must be present for the
designation of perinatal asphyxia severe enough to result in acute
neurologic injury:
1. Profound metabolic or mixed acidemia (pH <7) in an umbilical
artery blood sample, if obtained
2. Persistence of an Apgar score of 0-3 for longer than 5 minutes
3. Neonatal neurologic sequelae (eg, seizures, coma, hypotonia)
4. Multiple organ involvement (eg, kidney, lungs, liver, heart and
intestines).