Relationship between Premature Birth and Asphyxia in Newborn Babies

Abstract

This study is to see whether relationship between babies born prematurely with the incidence of asphyxia. Premature birth refers to a newborn born alive before the third trimester of pregnancy and weighing less than 2500 grams. Asphyxia can occur immediately after birth because the placenta in the fetus is very important for oxygenation, nutrition, and waste disposal so that disturbances in umbilical and placental blood flow almost always cause asphyxia. Asphyxia is a condition in which newborns cannot breathe regularly and spontaneously. Asphyxia occurs due to the inability of the baby’s respiratory organs to carry out their functions. The data were collected through questionnaire distributed to 20 respondents in Surabaya, Indonesia. The results of this study showed that there is a relationship between babies born prematurely with the incidence of asphyxia. Babies born with a gestational age of less than 37 weeks will experience organ immaturity, especially in the lungs which causes spontaneous breathing failure in the early minutes of birth. The lungs are formed and undergo a gradual maturation process.