[Influence of fetal distress on neonatal behavior neurological assessment and its prognosis]

To study the short and long term prognosis of fetal distress.

60 newborns with fetal distress (study group) and 60 normal newborns (control group) were assessed by neonatal behavior neurological assessment (20 items) in neonatal period and by reformed wechsler intelligence scale children-revised at 2 years of age.

The total scoring of study group was significantly different from that of control group (P < 0.01). In the study group, there were 41 cases without neonatal asphyxia whose scoring was significantly different from that in the normal group (P < 0.05), whereas the scoring of other 19 cases with neonatal asphyxia was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.001). We also found that the scoring of 38 acute fetal distress cases was significantly different from that of 22 chronic cases (P < 0.01). In two years follow-up study, the scoring of children's intelligence test in acute distress cases was not different from that of controls, but the scoring of intelligence test in chronic distress cases was markedly different from that of controls (P < 0.01).

Fetal distress could affect neonatal behavior and their intellectual development.