Symptoms of neonatal hypoxia

Neonatal hypoxia can lead to severe consequences and even death. What are the symptoms of neonatal hypoxia ?

According to the symptoms and degree, there are three categories.

• 1. Mild.
  The neonates are irritable and excited and have no other symptoms. Symptoms disappear gradually within three days. There is no harm to the person in this status.
• 2. Moderate
  The neonates are in Inhibition status with the symptoms of lethargy or light coma and hypotonia. Half of the cases have convulsions, apnea, and weakening in hugs and sucking reflex. If the symptoms persist for more than 7-10 days, there would be sequelae.
• 3. Severe
  The child is in a coma and has no hug or tendon reflex and irregular or paused breathing, or even breathing exhaustion. Severe children have a high mortality rate, and survivors often have sequelae.

Causes of hypoxia in newborns

The main reason for neonatal hypoxia is perinatal asphyxia. Anything that leads to poor blood circulation and gas exchange between the mother reduces the blood oxygen concentration can cause asphyxia. According to the survey, 50% of hypoxia are because of intrauterine asphyxia. 40% are during birth, and 10% are by congenital diseases. In addition, the mothers who have pregnancy-induced hypertension and other symptoms may all lead to cerebral hypoxia.

• 1. Umbilical blood flow blockage: For example, umbilical prolapse, compression, knotting, or umbilical cord around the neck are all causes of ischemic cerebral palsy.
• 2. Neonatal factors are the cause of ischemic cerebral palsy. Neonatal asphyxia, cardiopulmonary dysfunction, such as congenital heart disease, respiratory distress syndrome, general circulation failure, red blood cell increase lead to ischemic cerebral palsy.
• 3. Shock, coma, drug use, excessive tobacco and alcohol, drug poisoning, etc.
• 4. Placental factors such as placental abruption, placenta previa, placental infarction, or placental dysfunction, which leads to ischemic cerebral palsy.
• 5. abnormal Childbirth. Such as handstand, surgical use of forceps, fetus suction, or application of anesthetics or prolonged Childbirth time
• 6. Maternal factors, such as pregnancy-induced hypertension, heart failure, anemia, shock, coma, drug use, excessive tobacco and alcohol, drug poisoning lead to ischemic cerebral palsy.
  
  

The harm of neonatal hypoxia

Newborns are generally scored twice by the doctor at 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth.  Normal newborns have a score of 10. The lower the score, the severe hypoxia and asphyxia for the neonates, such as a score of 7 or more is mild hypoxia, which has no harm to the baby. 4-6 is moderate. The baby can often recover in a short time with timely and active treatment. When it is less than 4, it shows severe hypoxic, asphyxia, and respiratory depression.

What are the harms of neonatal hypoxia?

When a newborn is hypoxic, a doctor must perform emergency rescue to make him in a better situation. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the newborn to survive.
Children with hypoxia are in low resistance and easy to have the diseases such as aspiration pneumonia, neonatal scleredema, hypocalcemia, hypoglycemia.

Although timely and active treatment is essential, prevention is the best treatment. Once the fetus suffered distress in the uterus, We have to supply the oxygen treatment to the pregnant immediately. Newborns should lie supine after birth with a slightly higher head and less disturbance.