Introduction:

Hypoxemia due to fetal or obstetric complications causes perinatal asphyxia and brain injury among newborn babies. Between 15-20% of those affected die during the neonatal period and 25% of those who survive have permanent neurological deficits. Objective: To determine risk factors for the antepartum, intrapartum, and neonatal periods associated with perinatal asphyxia among newborns at Méderi University Hospital in Bogotá in 2010-2011.

Materials and Methods:

Case-matched controls by date of birth with a ratio of 1:5 (51:306). Cases of perinatal asphyxia were diagnosed as established by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Associations were assessed using the Chi-square Mantel-Haenszel test or Fisher for paired data with odds ratio and confidence interval of 95 %, multivariate analysis with conditional logistic regression model.

Results:

The risk factors with significant association previous to birth were: Maternal medical history and primigestation. Intrapartum: Placental abruption, hemorrhage of the third quarter, oligohydramnios, fetal tachycardia, abnormal intrapartum fetal monitoring, prolonged expulsive stage, maternal fever, maternal convulsions, chorioamnionitis, and fetal bradycardia. Fetal: gestational age equal or Ballard <36 weeks, instrumented birth, bleeding or meconium-stained amniotic fluid, nuchal cord and birth weight equal to or <2500 grams. Underlined factors and hypertensive syndrome associated with pregnancy were significant in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions:

The early recognition and control of risk factors should contribute to decrease the probability of perinatal asphyxia among newborns.

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