The effect of asphyxia on gut blood flow in term neonates

Transcutaneous Doppler ultrasound measurements were made of the superior mesenteric artery of 25 term infants to correlate the intestinal blood flow with neonatal acid-base status as measured in umbilical artery blood and newborn condition as reflected by Apgar score. Compared with the babies whose umbilical artery pH was higher than 7.20 (peak systolic velocity: 84.1 cn/sn, mean velocity 48.6 cm/sn), the blood flow of superior mesenteric artery was significantly decreased in the newborn babies whose umbilical artery pH was less than 7.20 (peak systolic velocity 48.8 cm/sn, mean velocity = 32.6 cm/sn). Although no such relationship existed between Apgar scores and superior mesenteric artery blood flow indices, a significant linear correlation between superior mesenteric artery blood flow and umbilical artery pH was noted. A reduction of intestinal circulation was observed during umbilical cord blood acidemia and hypoxemia.