R.S. Galbraith

The association between preterm newborn hypotension and hypoxemia and outcome during the first year

Ninety‐eight newborn infants, less than 34 weeks at birth, were studied to examine the relationship between newborn hypotension and hypoxemia and brain damage. Heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen tension were recorded continuously during the 96 h following delivery. Outcome measures included neuropathology in children who died, and motor and cognitive development at one year corrected age in children who survived. There were 22 children with a minor and 27 with a major abnormal outcome. There was a relationship between newborn hypotension, newborn hypoxemia and low birth weight, and a major abnormal outcome. The probability of a major abnormal outcome increased from 8% in newborns with no hypotension or hypoxemia, to 53% in children with both hypotension and hypoxemia. These findings support the contention that combinations of sustained newborn hypotension and hypoxemia are important factors in the development of brain damage, accounting for a major abnormal outcome.

Intrauterine growth retardation: a study of long-term morbidity.

Reported is the second phase of a prospective follow-up study of 76 growth-retarded children who were mature at birth and a control group of 88 children who had weights appropriate for gestational age at birth. Follow-up assessments of motor, cognitive, and language development were made between 1 and 6 years of age. The children of the intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) group continued to be smaller than the children of the control group between 12 and 60 months of age. There was no significant difference in the incidences of motor and cognitive handicap or developmental delay, language developmental delay, and tests of vision and hearing between the children of the IUGR group and the children of the control group. There was no significant differences in performance in senior kindergarten between the children of the IUGR group and those of the control group. There was a significant relationship between the socioeconomic status, as measured by the Blishen score at birth, and the subsequent occurrence of motor and cognitive deficits.

Motor and cognitive deficits after intrapartum asphyxia in the mature fetus

The incidence of major and minor motor and/or cognitive deficits at 1 year of age, in 37 mature children who had experienced an intrapartum fetal asphyxial insult, was compared with the incidence of deficits at 1 year in 76 children of the control group. The incidence of both major and minor deficits was significantly greater in the group with intrapartum fetal asphyxia in relation to the control group. These findings support the concept that, beyond a critical threshold of fetal asphyxia, a continuum of casualty in the surviving newborn infants exists.

Factors associated with motor and cognitive deficits in children after intrapartum fetal hypoxia

Sixty children with biochemical evidence of intrapartum fetal hypoxia were studied to define the factors which distinguish the children with deficits from those without deficits of motor and cognitive development. Follow-up assessment included growth measures, neurological examination, Bayley Scales of Infant Development, and a modified Uzgiris and Hunt Scale. Eight children (13%) had a major deficit and 10 children (16%) had a minor deficit at 1 year. Children with deficits had an episode of hypoxia that was more severe and prolonged and, subsequent to delivery, a greater incidence of severe respiratory complications, apnea, and newborn encephalopathy. No other significant risk factors were identified. It is concluded that an episode of hypoxia less than one hour may occur without subsequent deficits. However, an episode of hypoxia in excess of 1 hour resulting in a metabolic acidosis of the order of 25 mEq/L will be followed by motor and cognitive deficits in approximately 50% of children.

Intrauterine growth retardation: a preliminary report of long-term morbidity.

This is a preliminary report of a prospective follow-up study of 88 intrauterine growth-retarded (IUGR) babies and a control group of 97 babies with weights appropriate for gestational age. The characteristic clinical features of IUGR pregnancies were observed in the obstetric patients of the IUGR group. The babies of the IUGR group have a phase of accelerated growth during the 3 months following delivery although they continue to be smaller than the babies of the control group at 12 months of age. No major neurologic abnormalities have been noted in the IUGR babies although behavioral differences were observed during the neonatal period and at 12 months of age. There were lower mental and physical development indices at 12 months of age which were due to the IUGR babies of lowest birth weight and those with a low maternal urinary estrogen index.

The clinical prediction of intrauterine growth retardation

From a total study group of 8,030 deliveries, 2,788 patients with risk factors and 292 representative patients from the 5,242 patients without risk factors were selected for detailed analysis of predictors of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Two thirds of the IUGR infants came from the population with risk factors and a weighting was assigned to individual risk factors. One third of the IUGR infants came from the population without risk factors, and their mothers demonstrated significantly differing maternal characteristics from those with a normally grown infant. The perinatal mortality rate was higher in the IUGR group and particularly in the population with risk factors.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF FETAL‐NEWBORN COMPLICATIONS TO MOTOR AND COGNITIVE DEFICITS

A total of 364 selected high‐risk premature and mature infants were studied prospectively to assess the relationship between fetal‐newborn complications and motor and cognitive deficits identified during the first year of life. Deficits occurred in 24 per cent of the children: 14 per cent had one or more major deficit and the other 10 per cent had one or more minor deficit. Prematurity was one of the fetal‐newborn complications not associated with deficits at one year. Complications that were associated with deficits included fetal hypoxia, respiratory difficulties, infection and newborn encephalopathy. There was also a significant association between fetal hypoxia, newborn respiratory complications, infection and newborn

Intrapartum fetal hypoxia: A study of long-term morbidity

Reported is the second phase of a prospective follow-up study of 37 children who had episodes of intrapartum fetal hypoxia at delivery identified by an acid-base assessment and of a control group of 59 children who had no evidence of intrapartum fetal hypoxia. The newborn infants were normally grown and mature at delivery. Follow-up assessments of motor, cognitive, and language development were made between 1 and 6 years of age. There was no significant difference in the pattern of physical growth and the incidences of motor and cognitive handicap or developmental delay, language developmental delay, and tests of vision and hearing in the children of the hypoxia group and the children of the control group. These findings suggest that acid-base measures of metabolic acidosis can be used as a method of assessment of the mature normally grown fetus during labor without compromising the long-term outcome of the child.

Maternal, fetal, and newborn complications associated with newborn intracranial hemorrhage

Two hundred twenty newborn infants with one or more fetal or newborn complications and 54 newborn infants without fetal or newborn complications were prospectively studied to assess the relationship between maternal, obstetric, fetal, and newborn complications and intracranial hemorrhage. Intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 47 newborn infants with fetal or newborn complications (21%) and in one infant with no fetal or newborn complications (2%). Maternal and obstetric complications, duration of labor, and mode of delivery were not associated with intracranial hemorrhage. Newborn immaturity at delivery is an important factor in the occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage. There is little evidence that fetal hypoxia is a contributing factor. Severe respiratory complications and major infections are newborn complications associated with intracranial hemorrhage.

Motor and cognitive development of infants with intraventricular hemorrhage, ventriculomegaly, or periventricular parenchymal lesions

Two hundred twenty-six moderate- or high-risk newborn infants were studied to examine the relationship between ultrasound findings in the newborn period and at 6 months and motor and cognitive deficits at 1 year. A three-part classification of abnormal ultrasound findings was used to grade intraventricular hemorrhage, ventriculomegaly, and parenchymal lesions. Abnormal ultrasound findings were observed in 48 infants, of whom 21 had intraventricular hemorrhage, 18 persistent ventriculomegaly, and nine parenchymal lesions. The incidence of deficits was as follows: normal ultrasound examination, 20%; intraventricular hemorrhage, 33%; persistent ventriculomegaly, 67%; and parenchymal lesions, 89%. The present study indicates that serial ultrasound examinations are indicated in preterm newborn infants less than 1500 gm and in selected newborn infants at risk and greater than 1500 gm at birth. The three-part classification of abnormal ultrasound findings should be used because of the predictive significance of persistent ventriculomegaly and parenchymal lesions for motor and cognitive deficits at 1 year of age.