Perinatal Asphyxia

There are many women and families that long to have a child. Women are one of the strongest beings on Earth and this isn’t just childbirth, but also what can happen during birth and even after one is born. There are many things that can happen to a mother after a baby is born, including high blood pressure, heavy bleeding, heart failure, and even severe depression. In this essay, I will be talking about an uncommon thing that can happen to a baby after it is born. It is called Perinatal Asphyxia. According to John Hopkins Medicine, Perinatal asphyxia also called birth asphyxia is the result of an inadequate intake of oxygen from the baby during birth. 

In the Unit 9 PowerPoint on the reproductive system there are three stages of labor. The first is the dilation stage, which is the longest stage of labor which can be anywhere from 6-12 hours or more. This can also vary depending on the number of children a mother has had, and the overall pregnancy. The second stage is the expulsion stage, this will last till the infant is completely delivered. If the baby is facing the correct direction, head down, also allied Vertex Position. The head will be delivered first, then the shoulders, which are usually the more difficult part to deliver, and can result in complications. Another position that anyone would prefer the baby not be in, would be breech position. This is when the baby is buttocks down. Delivery will be more difficult and more often than not results in a C-section or the use of forceps. This is because during the vertex position, the baby’s skull helps to dilate the cervix. After the baby is born, the third and final stage is the delivery of the placenta. This will occur usually around 30 minutes after birth. 

According to the article written by John Hopkins medicine, signs of Perinatal Asphyxia may not be obvious right away but the most common signs usually include, before birth, an abnormal fetal heart rate, along with low pH levels, which will indicate too much acid. If the baby is born, signs will include poor skin color, low heart rate, weak muscle one, weak or gasping works of breathing, and meconium stained amniotic fluid. According to an article written by the Cleveland Clinic, Meconium is the baby’s first poop, which can occur while the baby is still in the uterus. The article states that swallowing a little bit of meconium is safe for the baby, but breathing it in can cause serious respiratory issues. Respiratory issues like Perinatal Asphyxiation. According to the John Hopkins article, treatment for perinatal asphyxiation includes giving the mother extra amounts of oxygen before delivery, an emergency delivery or a C-section, a mechanical ventilation, as well as medication. The diagnosis for perinatal asphyxiation includes severe acid levels, an APGAR score of 0-3 for longer than five minutes, any evidence of neurological problems like a seizure or coma, as well as any issues with one or more organ system such as the circulatory, digestive, or respiratory system.

The National Library of Medicine wrote an article about the prevention of perinatal asphyxiation, and it is important to have proper monitoring and care during the birth and after, watching the baby after birth, and overall just being careful. In an article written by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the authors wrote that infants who were born, not crying, but breathing, stopped breathing after 1 minute 9.5% of the time and 2% stopped at 5 minutes. In healthcare, crying babies are considered a good thing because this means that the baby is breathing!

While we can’t prevent everything, mothers can make sure to trust their guts and take care of themselves when they are expecting, and work with their doulas, healthcare professionals, doctors, etc. If they ever have any questions or concerns.

Description of Piece a under picture!

In my STEAM project piece, I decided to do a picture of a baby with lungs underneath to sort of represent the mother trying to breathe for her child, but I also felt like I wanted symbolism for the mother telling the baby to breathe. Since sometimes the baby won’t be breathing after birth has already taken place. 

References:

Perinatal asphyxia. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2024, October 21). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/perinatal-asphyxia 

ANANTHAN, A. et al. Fluid restriction for term infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy following perinatal asphyxia-a randomized controlled trial. Journal of tropical pediatrics, [s. l.], v. 71, n. 2, 2025. DOI 10.1093/tropej/fmaf009. Disponível em: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=731d7da2-ac5f-3085-9383-df574b10c554. Acesso em: 18 abr. 2025.

Harris, C. (2023, December 12). What can happen if your baby is born not breathing?: Cerebral palsy family network. Cerebral Palsy Family Network | Cerebral Palsy Resources | CPFN. https://cpfamilynetwork.org/resources/blog/what-can-happen-if-your-baby-is-born-not-breathing/ 

professional, C. C. medical. (2025, March 19). Meconium: What is it & what it looks like. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24102-meconium 

S;, C. E. (n.d.). Prevention of birth asphyxia: Responding appropriately to cardiotocograph (CTG) traces. Best practice & research. Clinical obstetrics & gynaecology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17400026/ 

“non-crying” babies at birth: A worrisome sign to consider | AAP journal blogs | American Academy of Pediatrics. (n.d.). https://publications.aap.org/journal-blogs/blog/1514/Non-crying-Babies-at-Birth-A-Worrisome-Sign-to?autologincheck=redirected