The introduction of umbilical cord lactate measurement and associated neonatal outcomes in a South African tertiary hospital labor ward

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the utility of umbilical artery (UA) lactate measurements in a South African hospital for assessing intrapartum care and predicting neonatal outcomes.Materials and methods: From 3 March–12 November 2014, we conducted a prospective cohort study of UA lactate levels at Kalafong Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa. Following birth, a UA blood sample (<0.5uL) was taken from a double-clamped segment of cord and the lactate measured. Maternal and neonatal characteristics and outcomes were recorded.Results: During the study, there were 4668 deliveries; including 1091 emergency cesarean and 154 instrumental deliveries. A lactate was recorded for 946 deliveries (20.3%). 190 babies required neonatal resuscitation, with an optimal cutoff for lactate of 5.45 mmol/L (sensitivity 68%, specificity 72%). 124 babies required nursery admission with the optimal cutoff for lactate 4.95 mmol/L (sensitivity 61%, specificity 59%). 55 babies had an Apgar score <7 at 5 min and the optimal lactate for this outcome was 5.65 mmol/L (sensitivity 64%, specificity of 69%).Conclusions: Umbilical lactate can be used in a middle-low resource setting as a measurement of intrapartum hypoxia, with reasonable sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of, or need for, resuscitation, admission to the nursery, and low Apgar scores.