Ante- and intrapartum risk factors for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy

Abstract

Purpose: To identify obstetrical risk factors for the diagnosis of neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). A secondary aim was to determine the incidence of HIE. Materials and methods: A retrospective cohort study including 36,086 women with singleton term pregnancies giving live births in Sweden between 2009 and 2013. Cases of HIE were identified from three different sources. Risk factors for HIE were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. Cases of HIE were extracted from available Swedish Medical Health registers to determine incidence. Results: A diagnosis of HIE was associated with: acute obstetrical events, mode of delivery other than unassisted vaginal birth, abnormal CTG admission test, and nulliparity. The incidence of HIE was 1.7/1000 infants born. Conclusions: Acute obstetrical events will always occur, and some of the risk factors for these events are not responsive to interventions, but a careful risk assessment could lower the risk associated with acute obstetrical events. By alertness to early symptoms and timely measures taken by a trained staff at the delivery unit, damage could be reduced.