The Cord Blood Gas Analysis in a low risk population: a safe and appropriate midwifery care during labour

Introduction: The Guidelines recommend to perform the Blood Gas Analysis (BGA) only when there is a risk of hypoxia. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there would be missing cases of pathological neonates within a population who is defined to be low risk until birth, for whom routine BGA is not recommended. Materials and methods: A cross sectional study including 3038 low risk women, allocated into the Normal Birth Group (NB Group) when normal labour and birth occurred, or into the Complicated Birth Group (CB Group) when some complications or interventions happened. Groups were compared using T-test and Chi-square. A two sided 5% significance level was adopted. Results: A significant difference between groups was found in pathological BGA (P < 0.000) and Apgar score <7 at 5 minutes (P < 0.002). In the NB Group none of the 6 newborns who had a pathological BGA had an adverse outcome. While, within the CB Group, all the 12 newborns who had an adverse outcome, were identify among the 28 neonates with a pathological BGA. Discussion: An appropriate midwifery care should allow to select the CB group within the low risk population, and to perform the BGA when recommended.