title: Neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room from a tertiary level hospital: risk factors and outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Timely identification and prompt resuscitation of newborns in the delivery room may cause a decline in neonatal morbidity and mortality. We try to identify risk factors in mother and fetus that result in birth of newborns needing resuscitation at birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case notes of all deliveries and neonates born from April 2010 to March 2011 in Mahdieh Medical Center (Tehran, Iran), a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, were reviewed; relevant maternal, fetal and perinatal data was extracted and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 4692 neonates were delivered; 4522 (97.7%) did not require respiratory assistance. One-hundred seven (2.3%) newborns needed resuscitation with bag and mask ventilation in the delivery unit, of whom 77 (1.6%) babies responded to bag and mask ventilation while 30 (0.65%) neonates needed endotracheal intubation and 15 (0.3%) were given chest compressions. Epinephrine/volume expander was administered to 10 (0.2%) newborns. In 17 patients resuscitation was continued for >10 mins. There was a positive correlation between the need for resuscitation and following risk factors: low birth weight, preterm labor, chorioamnionitis, pre-eclampsia, prolonged rupture of membranes, abruptio placentae, prolonged labor, meconium staining of amniotic fluid, multiple pregnancy and fetal distress. On multiple regression; low birth weight, meconium stained liquor and chorioamnionitis revealed as independent risk factors that made endotracheal intubation necessary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accurate identification of risk factors and anticipation at the birth of a high-risk neonate would result in adequate preparation and prompt resuscitation of neonates who need some level of intervention and thus, reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Infections Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Mahdieh Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyed-Abolfazl
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Afjeh
authors.affiliation: Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad-Kazem
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sabzehei
authors.affiliation: Mahdieh Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Esmaili
keywords: Delivery Room; Neonate; Newborn; Respiratory Assistance; Resuscitation; Risk Factors