Asphyxia Archives - Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia

PURPOSE: to assess risk factors for low Apgar score. METHODS: this was a cross-sectional study preformed in a random sample of patients admitted to a level III maternity hospital in 2001. The outcome was low Apgar score defined as an Apgar score 1-6 (study group) versus Apgar score 7-10 (control group) in the first minute of life. The first step was the evaluation of the association of each possible risk factor with low Apgar score. The second step was multivariate analysis with the backward stepwise logistic regression model. RESULTS: there were 39 (14%) depressed newborns which were compared to 238 (86%) not depressed babies. The final analysis (multivariate) showed an association between low Apgar score and previous case of stillbirth (OR=52.6), preterm labor threat (OR=33.8), low birth weight, less than 2,500 g body weight (OR=11.2) and previous cesarean section (OR=7.4). Some factors acted as a protection, including birth weight, in grams (OR=0.9), female sex of the newborn (OR=0.1), medical complications (OR=0.4) and prematurity (gestational age < 37 weeks, OR=0.1). CONCLUSION: the study may help in the identification of fetuses at great risk of asphyxia, allowing proper reference within the health system and planning of effective assistance in neonatal intensive care units.