morphine and Acidosis--Respiratory

Our purpose was to evaluate the outcomes of pregnancies complicated by a multiple (double, triple, or quadruple) nuchal cord entanglement.. Computerized data from our University Hospital perinatal database were reviewed between 1990 and 1994. Only singleton, vertex, and term pregnancies undergoing labor were analyzed. Patients with active perinatal complications were eliminated to reduce bias. Pregnancies with infants with either a single or no nuchal cord entanglement served as comparison groups. A comparison of frequencies in the three groups was by chi 2 testing and a comparison of means by a two-tailed Student t test and analysis of variance.. Of the 8565 deliveries, the frequency of two or more cord entanglements at delivery was 3.8%. Compared with a single or no cord entanglement, pregnancies with a multiple entanglement were more likely to exhibit an abnormal fetal heart rate pattern during advanced labor (p < 0.001) and to require low or midforceps application (p < 0.001). The study infants were also more likely to have meconium (p = 0.013), a low 1-minute Apgar score (p < 0.001), and an umbilical artery pH < or = 7.10 (odds ratio 2.2, p = 0.013) than the controls. Rates of abruptio placentae, cesarean delivery, and 5-minute Apgar scores < 7 were no more common in the multiple entanglement than the control groups.. A multiple nuchal cord entanglement was associated with a greater risk of meconium, an abnormal fetal heart rate pattern during advanced labor, the need for operative vaginal delivery, and mild umbilical artery acidosis at birth; however, there was no added risk of an adverse neonatal outcome.

Topics: Acidosis, Respiratory; Adolescent; Adult; Analysis of Variance; Asphyxia Neonatorum; Chi-Square Distribution; Female; Heart Rate, Fetal; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Infant, Newborn; Meconium; Obstetric Labor Complications; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Umbilical Arteries; Umbilical Cord

Although the significance of meconium in the amniotic fluid diagnosed during labor remains problematic, there is little information regarding the significance of meconium discovered prior to labor. The present study consisted of 40 term pregnancies with meconium found at amniocentesis for lung maturity (n = 7) or elective cesarean section (n = 33) and 40 uncomplicated, control pregnancies with clear amniotic fluid at elective cesarean section. The mean umbilical artery (UA) blood pH was 7.26 in the meconium group and 7.28 in the control group. Overall, the frequency of fetal acidemia (UA pH < 7.20) was 15% (6 of 40) of the infants in the meconium group versus 8% (3 of 40) in the control group (p = 0.24). All nine of these infants had a respiratory acidosis defined as a UA blood pH less than 7.20 with normal bicarbonate and elevated carbon dioxide pressure. Importantly, none of the neonates had metabolic acidemia and all had uncomplicated hospital courses. All of the pregnancies reported were promptly delivered because of meconium and we therefore cannot recommend nonintervention when meconium is diagnosed in the antepartum period. Meconium discovered prior to labor is not necessarily a marker of immediate or chronic fetal compromise.

Topics: Acid-Base Equilibrium; Acidosis; Acidosis, Respiratory; Amniocentesis; Amniotic Fluid; Case-Control Studies; Female; Fetal Blood; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Infant, Newborn; Labor, Obstetric; Meconium; Pregnancy