Hypoxia Profiles Identified in Term Newborns With Cord pH <7.00

Severe neonatal acidosis is an identified risk factor for neonatal encephalopathies and severe neurological sequelae such as cerebral palsy. While intrapartum origin of such deterioration is rare (approximately 20% of adverse outcomes in term infants), screening for hypoxia that can lead to the development of severe acidosis remains inadequate. This results in both delays in diagnosis and/or intervention, and a parallel increase in obstetric interventions (cesarean sections and operative vaginal deliveries) sometimes performed with inappropriate indications, thus contributing to unnecessary maternal and neonatal comorbidities. Difficulties in analyzing fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns are identified as an independent risk factor, particularly due to significant inter- and intra-observer variability, in an examination that is nevertheless central to assessing fetal well-being during labor.