A persistent clinical problem: Profile of the term infant with significant respiratory complications

Adiel Fleischer, Akolisa Anyaegbunam, Denise Guidetti, Georgia Randolph, Irwin R. Merkatz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

A group of 72 term infants with significant respiratory complications were compared with 11,428 term infants delivered during the same time period and without respiratory morbidity. Compared with controls, the study group had a higher incidence of postdatism (36 versus 7%), intrauterine growth retardation (33 versus 8%), meconium-stained amniotic fluid (AF) (90 versus 9%), fetal heart rate (FHR) abnormalities upon admission to labor and delivery (58 versus 7%), and low 5-minute Apgar scores (46 versus 1.4%). Even in the presence of normal intrapartum FHR and 5-minute Apgar scores, infants with meconium-stained AF had an incidence of respiratory complications 100 times higher than those with clear AF. Of infants with a low 5-minute Apgar score at birth, only 20% went on to develop respiratory complications. The remaining 80% had a significantly lower incidence of postdatism, intrauterine growth retardation, and meconium-stained AF.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)185-190
Number of pages6
JournalObstetrics and gynecology
Volume79
Issue number2
StatePublished - Feb 1992

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology

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