Neonatal Encephalopathy and Neurologic Outcome

Significantly revised and updated, the new second edition updates the science on neonatal encephalopathy presented in the 1st edition.

Identifying the root causes of brain injury in newborns may help patient safety efforts to prevent cerebral palsy and other neurologic problems in infants. The new second edition recommends a broad evaluation of all potential contributing factors in every case of neonatal encephalopathy, including maternal medical history, obstetric and intrapartum factors, and placental pathology. This recommendation is a shift from the 2003 edition, which focused on determining whether or not a hypoxic-ischemic event (lack of oxygen to the fetus around the time of birth) was the cause of neonatal encephalopathy.

Includes new sections on:

Placental pathology Focal ischemic stroke Neonatal interventions Patient safety Significant advances in neuroimaging

The new report emphasizes the involvement of pediatric expertise. Now there’s more emphasis on pediatricians taking more responsibility in identifying newborns with brain injury, said Dr. Jay Goldsmith. There are approximately 3,000 US hospitals and birthing centers that deliver babies, but only 1,000 of them have neonatal intensive care units. Health care providers at the other 2,000 hospitals are responsible for providing treatment or referring to a center that is capable of providing therapeutic hypothermia. That’s the pediatric side of the responsibility.

This report will assist the clinician in evaluating a newborn with encephalopathy to assist in defining both the cause and timing.