Developmental outcome at 6.5 years after acidosis in term newborns: a population-based study

Infants who develop encephalopathy after perinatal asphyxia have an increased risk of death and adverse neurologic outcome. Conflicting results exist concerning outcome in healthy infants with metabolic acidosis at birth. The aim of the current study was to evaluate whether metabolic acidosis at birth in term infants who appear healthy is associated with long-term developmental abnormalities.

From a population-based cohort (14,687 deliveries), 78 infants were prospectively identified as having metabolic acidosis (umbilical artery pH < 7.05 and base deficit in the extracellular fluid >12.0 mmol/L). Two matched controls per case were selected. The child health and school health care records were scrutinized for developmental abnormalities.

Outcome measures at 6.5 years of age for 227 of 234 children (97%) were obtained. No differences were found concerning neurologic or behavioral problems in need of referral action or neurodevelopmental diagnosis in comparison of control children with acidotic children who had appeared healthy at birth, ie, had not required special neonatal care or had no signs of encephalopathy.

Infants born with cord metabolic acidosis and who appear well do not have an increased risk for neurologic or behavioral problems in need of referral actions or special teaching approaches at the age of 6.5 years.