Eucapnic pH Compared With Arterial pH and Base Deficit

Neonatal asphyxia per partum can be complicated by severe neurologic sequelae and can lead to neonatal death. Of the 0.2% of live births to cerebral palsy, 10 to 28% would be secondary to neonatal acidosis. Only metabolic acidosis plays a neurotoxic role, explaining the recent interest of Racinet et al. in the development of a new biochemical marker, more specific than pH or base deficit, of neonatal asphyxia per partum at risk of anoxo-ischemic encephalopathy. This eucapnic neonatal pH raises the hope of a biochemical marker of situations at risk of poor prognosis, with high diagnostic value, prognostic and forensic. Our hypothesis is that eucapnic pH is more efficient than cord blood arterial pH and base deficit in the prediction of adverse neurologic outcomes.