Assessment of the vitality of the newborn: An overview

Abstract

Four million newborns die in the world every year, and reports indicate that 98% of those deaths occur in developing countries. The infant mortality rate in children under 5 years of age in Mexico has decreased progressively, in contrast to the neonatal mortality rate, where the reduction was not significant. For this reason, it is necessary and important to have resources that make it possible to assess, rapidly and efficiently, the physiological status of newborns. The objective of this review is to identify the factors involved in the vigor of the newborn. This review will thus allow us to understand the relation that exists between the vitality scores and birth weight, the repercussions of the process of prenatal asphyxia, age of gestation and mortality. Once the factors involved in decreases in the vigor of the newborn have been reviewed, additional studies will be required to use animal models to test different pharmacological therapies that newborn humans have shown their value for early diagnosis and treatment, as a means of improving their physiological and hemodynamic condition during the first hours of extra uterine life, as this is a fundamental factor in their survival.