title: A review of 126 Caesarean sections by blood gas and the acid-base status of newborn calves.
abstract: Blood gas and acid-base status was determined in 126 Caesarean-derived calves. The newborn calves were assigned by venous blood pH value at birth to three groups as follows: Group 1 (normal): pH above 7.2; Group 2 (slight acidosis): pH 7.2 to 7.0; and Group 3 (severe acidosis): pH below 7.0. Following Caesarean section births 80 (63.5%) calves had normal acid-base values, while 30 (23.8%) had a slight acidosis, and 16 (12.7%) had severe acidosis. The degree of hypoxia was similar in each group. Six calves (37.5%) in Group 3 died within 48 h of birth. The blood gas and acid-base status of Caesarean-derived. calves was not significantly influenced by any examined parameters with the exception of sex in Groups 1 and 2. The occurrence of meconium-stained calves was 9.1% (n = 11), and only two calves were slightly or severely acidotic immediately after birth.
authors.affiliation: The Faculty of Veterinary Science Clinic for Veterinary Obstetrics and Reproduction P.O. Box 2, H-1400 Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Szenci
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Taverne
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takács