Asphyxia Neonatorum: A Major Cause of Mortality and Morbidity

Abstract

S t u d i e s i n t h e U.S. show t h a t within t h e lower socioeconomic s t r a t u m black c h i l d r e n a r e l e a n e r than white c h i l d r e n of same sex and age, but black women show a higher prevalence of o b e s i t y than t h e i r white c o u n t e r p a r t s . Thusly a r e t r o s p e c t i v e study was undertaken t o determine t h e age a t which a s i g n i f i c a n t change i n t h e prevalence of o b e s i t y does occur i n black g i r l s . Charts of 580 g i r l s , who used t h e Children and Youth C l i n i c during a t h r e e month period i n 1976, were reviewed with r e s p e c t t o age, h e i g h t , weight, medical diagnoses. A f t e r exclusion of c h a r t s because of i n s u f f i c i e n t d a t a o r , because t h e i n d i v i d u a l ' s d i s e a s e might a ff e c t weight o r h e i g h t , 527 (91%) c h a r t s were a v a i l a b l e f o r study.I n d i v i d u a l s from 1 through 19 y e a r s were divided i n t o age groups of two year i n t e r v a l s . Weight f o r height was c a l c u l a t e d f o r each i n d i v i d u a l using NCHS 1976 growth c h a r t s . The individua l s of an age group were then grouped according t o t h e percent exc e s s weight f o r height i n t o groups: a ) l e s s than 110%. b) 110-120% (overweight) and c ) more than 120% ( o b e s i t y ) .While t h e incidence of overweight d i d n o t s i g n i f i c a n t l y d i f f e r between age groups (p>0.05), t h e incidence of o b e s i t y increased s i g n i f i c a n t l y (p<0.001) between t h e group 11.1-13.0 and 13.1-15.0 y e a r s of age and p e r s i s t e d t h e r e a f t e r a t t h e higher l e v e l . The e t i o l o g y of t h i s s t r i k i n g f i n d i n g r e q u i r e s f u r t h e r study.ELECTIVE DELIVERY OF THE "TERM" FETUS -AN OBSTETRI-CAL HAZARD. M. J e f f r e y Maisels. Richard Rees, Keith H. Marks, Zvi Friedman (Spon by Nicholas M. Nelson), Penn S t a t e Univ Coll Med, M S Hershey Med C t r , Dept Ped, Hershey, PA.Of 1.020 consecutive admissions t o a r e g i o n a l neonatal cent e r . 38 i n f a n t s were admitted following e l e c t i v e d e l i v e r y i n which no medical c o n d i t i o n of t h e mother o r f e t u s had necessit a t e d immediate'delivery.Twenty i n f a n t s had problems which were n o t , primarily, t h e r e s u l t of e l e c t i v e d e l i v e r y , but 18 developed h y a l i n e membrane d i s e a s e which was c l e a r l y r e l a t e d t o premature d e l i v e r y . F i f t e e n of t h e s e 18 i n f a n t s were d e l i v e r e d by Caesarean s e c t i o n and i n none of t h e mothers had any a s s e s sment of f e t a l m a t u r i t y o r s i z e ( o t h e r than t h e menstrual h i st o r y and p h y s i c a l examination) been attempted. These i n f a n t s remained i n t h e h o s p i t a l f o r an average of 12.7 days a t a mean c o s t of $3456 per p a t i e n t . One i n f a n t died. E l e c t i v e d e l i v e r y i n t h e absence of p r e s s i n g medical i n d i c a t i o n s should not be underta...