Oxygen Saturation in Neonate after Birth

Background: Oxygen saturation measures the quantity of haemoglobin in the blood that is saturated with oxygen. Hemoglobin is a component of red blood cells that binds oxygen and transports it to outlying tissues. Oxygen is commonly used throughout the world in neonatal units. Injudicious use of Oxygen may not maintain appropriate oxygen status rather can lead to hypoxemia or hyperoxemia, both of the conditions are injurious to neonatal health. Objective: To assess the oxygen saturation in neonate after birth.Methods:A cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Neonatology BSMMU, Shahbag, Dhaka, Lab Aid Specialized Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from October 2013 to March 2014. A total 317 patients were selected according to selection criteria. The parents were interviewed with a specific pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire and some information were gathered by document review. All neonate both term and late preterm (˃34weeks) who would not be anticipated for resuscitation was included.Results:A total 317 neonate were selected according to selection criteria. Among the study subjects more than half were male (57.1%). Rests were female (42.9%). Average gestational age of the study subjects was 37.47± 1.16 (SD) with the range of 34-40. On the other hand average birth weight was 2.88±0.46 (SD) with the minimum birth weight 2.0 kg and maximum weight 4.2 kg. Illustrates the median (IQR) heart rate from one to ten min for preterm versus term births. At one to three minutes and at five minutes after birth preterm infants had significantly lower SpO2 measurements. From six to 10 minutes after birth and four minutes after birth there was no significant difference between SpO2 measurements for mode of delivery. Paired sample t test showed that average SpO2 was less in 1 minute[88.42±4.8(SD)] than in 5 minute [94.25±3.5(SD)] and statistically this differences were highly significant (t=24.44, p=0.000). Pearson correlation showed high positive correlation (p=0.000) and correlation co-efficient r=0.479. Correlation was significant at the 0.01 level.Conclusion:It is “normal” to have low oxygen saturation measurements in the first minutes after birth. It takes time for infants to reach oxygen saturation levels described as “normal” in the later postnatal period. Oxygen saturation increased with time i.e., it was more in 5 minutes than in 1 minute and similarly more in 10 minutes than in 5 minutes. Conversely heart rate was found more in one minute than to five and ten minutes. Oxygen saturation was ≥ 90% within 3 to 4 minutes. Significant changes were found in Oxygen saturation by mode of delivery in three minutes & in heart rate by two minutes after birth. At one to ten minutes after birth preterm infants had lower SpO2 measurements.