Babies who are deprived of oxygen during birth are at risk for brain damage that can lead to developmental delays, cerebral palsy, and even death. To avoid this, most women in labor undergo continuous monitoring of the baby’s heart rate and receive supplemental oxygen if their child’s heart rhythm is abnormal , with the idea that this common practice increases the supply of oxygen to the baby. However, there is conflicting evidence as to whether the long-standing recommended practice improves the baby’s health.
Now, a comprehensive analysis , led by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, USA, has found no benefit for babies in supplying supplemental oxygen to mothers during labor .
A preventive practice in childbirth that is not justified
Every year, two out of every three pregnant women in the United States receive supplemental oxygen at some point in labor, according to researchers at the University of Washington.
This practice, common for twenty years, is recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to treat abnormal fetal heart rhythms, which may indicate that the baby’s oxygen levels are low and pose health risks.
Dr. Nandini Raghuraman, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine and lead author of the study adds that “it is such a common practice because it is thought that by giving the mother oxygen, we are increasing the supply of oxygen to baby”.
“However, the results of this study suggest that oxygen is not helpful in these cases and that the practice may be unnecessary for many women.”
These are the conclusions of the comprehensive study from the University of Washington that analyzed 16 previous trials of oxygen deliveries, published on January 4 in JAMA Pediatrics.
The doctor notes that supplemental oxygen is administered primarily as a preventive measure , a practice that began during the 1960s:
“Fetal monitoring can indicate a possible abnormal problem such as a lack of oxygen. But about 80% of the time, women who give birth enter an intermediate state, in which the situation is not totally good but not high. risk. And in cases like these, oxygen supplementation offers no additional benefits. “
The results must be taken into account since for the analysis the researchers examined 16 studies published from 1982 to 2020 of randomized controlled trials in humans, which involved more than 2,052 women in childbirth.
They tested the babies’ blood pH levels from samples taken shortly after birth , to measure the body’s acidity and alkalinity in blood and other fluids. They also compared rates of admission to neonatal intensive care and scores from the Apgar test, a neonatal test to assess the health of newborns at one minute and five minutes after birth, which measures heart rate, respiration and other signs. to determine if the baby needs additional medical attention.
Giving up oxygen supplements would help avoid unnecessary intervention and likely reduce health care costs, says the doctor, adding that the hospital where she works have already started reducing oxygen use after this research.
Now, the benefits of oxygen in cesarean deliveries remain to be studied, as previous research has so far indicated that it can help, but Dr. Nandini Raghuraman believes more data is needed, in addition to the effects of over-oxygenation:
“We also want to look at whether prolonged exposure of the mother and baby to oxygen during labor can be harmful. Outside of labor and delivery, much research shows that over-oxygenation is associated with oxidative stress that the type of cell damage that has been implicated in conditions such as cerebral palsy and Alzheimer’s disease. “
And, as she herself points out, her findings “contradict the general myth that increasing oxygen intake is healthy and useful for a person’s general well-being.”
Via | University of Washington
Photo | Thinkstock
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