The influence of cord complications on fetal pH, neonatal Apgar score, and the acid base state and oxygenation of the umbilical artery and vein.
Continuous monitoring of fetal scalp tissue pH (tpH), acid base and oxygenation measurements of the blood of the umbilical artery and vein, and APGAR scoring was performed in 152 deliveries. The effect of cord complication on tpH (120, 90, 60, 30, 15, 10, 5, and 0 minutes before delivery), the status of the umbilical artery and vein (pH, pCO2, base excess, standard bicarbonate, pO2, and oxygen saturation), and the APGAR scores (one and five minutes after delivery) were investigated. Thirty-two per cent of the deliveries were associated with on or more cord complication(s). Cord complications in general did not influence the APGAR scores, the acid base state, or the oxygenation of the fetus and newborn. In the very few cases of tight cord complication(s) tpH showed a marked decrease during the last 30 minutes of labour, the umbilical blood was slightly acidotic, but the APGAR scores were normal (8-10 one and five minutes after delivery). No cases of prolapse of the cord were found. Cord complications are very common but in most cases completely harmless.
D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D001034:Apgar Score; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D012535:Scalp; D014469:Umbilical Arteries; D014470:Umbilical Cord; D014471:Umbilical Veins
D010100:Oxygen