HIE
Can Cord Blood Gases and Apgar Scores Prove Birth Asphyxia?
Cord blood gases and Apgar scores can give important information about a newborn’s condition at delivery, but neither can prove birth asphyxia or establish the timing and cause of neurologic injury all on its own. This article explains how arterial and venous cord gases, pH, base deficit, and Apgar trends are interpreted in the context of suspected hypoxic-ischemic injury. It also examines the limits of these measurements, including alternative explanations for abnormal values and the importance of resuscitation, neurologic examinations, EEG findings, MRI, organ dysfunction, and a broader and more nuanced clinical timeline when evaluating causation.