[Lactic acidosis in recovered asphyctic newborn infants]

Thirty newborn babies delivered by elective caesarean section were studied. They were randomly placed in two groups. The first group consisted of newborns who scored 3 or less on the Apgar scale at one minute and 8 or more after five minutes. The other group included newborns which scored 8 or higher at one minute and 9 at five minutes. Blood samples were obtained from the umbilical cord which allowed for the measuring of the infants' pH, serum gases and pyruvic lactic acid levels. An increased level lactate was found in asphyctic infants. Five cases presented lactic acidosis which continued to be persistent in four of them an hour after they were born. Although increased levels of lactate were found also in the control group, they never presented lactic acidosis. No correlation was found between the pH and lactate levels nor between lactate and bicarbonate. A clear correlation between lactic acidosis and fetal distress was documented. It was concluded that lactate quantification is a useful indicator of neonatal asphyxia. Lactic acidosis; Apgar scores; asphyxia.