Umbilical cord lactate compared with pH as predictors of intrapartum asphyxia

• Published in: Experimental and therapeutic medicine Vol. 21; no. 1; p. 80
• Main Authors: Neacsu, Adrian, Herghelegiu, Cătălin Gabriel, Voinea, Silviu, Dimitriu, Mihai Cornel Traian, Ples, Liana, Bohiltea, Roxana Elena, Braila, Anca Daniela, Nastase, Leonard, Bacalbasa, Nicolae, Chivu, Laura Ioana, Furtunescu, Florentina, Ioan, Raluca Gabriela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece Spandidos Publications 01-01-2021; Spandidos Publications UK Ltd; D.A. Spandidos
• Subjects: Acidosis; Apgar score; Chemical properties; Childbirth & labor; Diagnosis; Fetal anoxia; Fetal blood; Health aspects; Heart rate; Hematoma; Hydrogen-ion concentration; Hypoxia; Lactates; Measurement; Metabolism; Methods; Morbidity; Mortality; Premature birth; Prenatal diagnosis; Review; Software; Statistical analysis; Umbilical cord; Romania; fetal distress; intrapartum asphyxia; umbilical cord lactate; umbilical cord pH; intrapartum hypoxia
• ISSN: 1792-0981; 1792-1015
• DOI: 10.3892/etm.2020.9513

Despite advances in fetal monitoring during labor, one of the most critical causes of neonatal death and neurologic injuries remains intrapartum asphyxia. Umbilical cord gases can be used to detect acidosis and fetal distress. We conducted a retrospective, multicenter study to evaluate umbilical cord blood pH and lactate as a mean of evaluating the degree of intrapartum hypoxia and also to establish which of the two is more reliable in predicting morbidity in term neonates. The present study utilized a total of 124 cases that met the criteria for intrapartum asphyxia and 150 normal term newborns that were randomly selected as case control. Both umbilical cord lactate and pH proved to be accurate predictors of neonatal morbidity caused by intrapartum hypoxia. Lactate proved to be superior to pH in predicting adverse neonatal outcome. The greatest sensibility and specificity in predicting intrapartum asphyxia were achieved in our study by using a cutoff value of 3.75 mmol/l for lactate and 7.24 for pH.