The value of umbilical artery blood gas analysis in the diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of fetal distress

To explore the diagnostic specificity and clinical application of neonatal umbilical cord blood gas analysis in the prognosis of fetal distress, and to provide theoretical basis for neonatal rescue. Clinical data of a total of 240 singleton pregnant women and their neonates who delivered in the Obstetrics Department of our hospital from January 2021 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The pregnant women and their newborns were divided into an acute group (acute fetal distress), a chronic group (chronic fetal distress) and a control group (no fetus distress), with 80 cases in each. The umbilical artery blood gas analysis values including power of hydrogen (PH), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2), partial pressure of oxygen (PO2), bicarbonate radical (HCO3-), buffer excess (BE) and the Apgar score, as well as the neonatal asphyxia outcome after birth were recorded. There were statistically significant differences in fetal condition, PH and BE between newborns with asphyxia and normal newborns (P < 0.05). The incidence of neonatal distress was 1.25% in the control group and 19.38% in the fetal distress group (including acute and chronic groups). Logistic regression analysis found that fetal distress was a risk factor for neonatal asphyxia (Odds Ratio (OR)=11.064, P=0.012). The specificity and sensitivity of neonatal cord blood gas analysis in diagnosing neonatal asphyxia were 95.69% and 80.65%, respectively. The specificity of Apgar score in the diagnosis of neonatal asphyxia was 94.74%, and the sensitivity was 70.97%. The rate of neonatal asphyxia in the chronic fetal distress group (26.25%) was higher than that in the acute fetal distress group (12.5%). The proportion of neonatal severe asphyxia in the chronic fetal distress group (66.67%) was higher than that in the acute group (20%). The PH and BE levels in the chronic fetal distress group were lower than those in the control group and acute fetal distress group (P < 0.05). Cord blood gas analysis can help to improve the accuracy of fetal distress diagnosis. Cord blood gas is closely related to neonatal prognosis. Compared with acute fetal distress, chronic fetal distress is more likely to lead to neonatal acidosis and asphyxia.