Maternal fever and neonatal depression: preliminary observations

Area of Science:

• Neonatalogy
• Perinatal Medicine
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Maternal fever during pregnancy is a recognized risk factor for adverse neonatal outcomes.
• Understanding the specific impact of maternal fever on neonatal depression and clinical course is crucial for effective perinatal care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate maternal fever as a risk factor for neonatal depression in term infants.
• To describe the clinical course of infants born to mothers with fever and admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 25,000 term infants over 2 years.
• Identified infants with a 5-minute Apgar score ≤ 5 and those requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
• Examined the association between maternal fever and neonatal outcomes, including NICU admission and clinical course.

Main Results:

• Maternal fever was the most common perinatal event associated with a 5-minute Apgar score ≤ 5 (32%).
• Infants born to mothers with fever had higher rates of NICU admission (7.5%) and required various resuscitative interventions.
• A significant proportion of infants born to mothers with fever had elevated initial body temperatures, with some requiring prolonged ventilatory support.

Conclusions:

• Maternal fever is strongly associated with neonatal depression and the need for resuscitation.
• Anticipating neonatal depression in infants of mothers with fever allows for better preparation and potentially reduces the need for intensive interventions.
• Further research into the mechanisms linking maternal fever and neonatal outcomes is warranted.