Measurement of cerebral oxygenation in neonates after vaginal delivery and cesarean section using full-spectrum near infrared spectroscopy

• Published in: Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology Molecular & integrative physiology, 2002-05, Vol.132 (1), p.133-138
• Main Authors: Isobe, Kenichi, Kusaka, Takashi, Fujikawa, Yuka, Okubo, Kensuke, Nagano, Keiko, Yasuda, Saneyuki, Kondo, Masatoshi, Itoh, Susumu, Hirao, Konomu, Onishi, Shoju
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arterial oxygen saturation; Cerebral hemoglobin oxygen saturation; Cesarean Section; Delivery, Obstetric; Full-spectrum; Human; Humans; Infant, Newborn - metabolism; Mode of delivery; Near infrared spectroscopy; Newborn; Oxygen - analysis; Pulse oximeter; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared - methods; Telencephalon - blood supply; Telencephalon - metabolism; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1095-6433; 1531-4332
• DOI: 10.1016/S1095-6433(01)00539-6

To investigate whether or not the mode of delivery produces differences in cerebral oxygenation, cerebral hemoglobin oxygen saturation was measured using full-spectrum near infrared spectroscopy in 26 healthy term newborn infants immediately after birth. Infants in group 1 ( n=20) were delivered vaginally, and those in group 2 ( n=6) by elective cesarean section. Arterial oxygen saturation in the right hand was also measured simultaneously using a pulse oximeter. Changes in arterial oxygen saturation showed no significant difference between the two groups. The mean±S.D. of cerebral hemoglobin oxygen saturation in group 1 increased rapidly after birth, from 29±17% at 2 min to 68±6% at 8.5 min, followed by an almost constant value (66±7% at 15 min). In comparison, cerebral hemoglobin oxygen saturation in group 2 also increased rapidly until 8.5 min, but after this time decreased significantly to 57±5% at 15 min after birth. This indicates that the mode of delivery has a marked influence on cerebral oxygenation immediately after birth.