Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Relationship between oxygen saturation and the mode of oxygen delivery used in newborn resuscitation

Journal of Perinatology volume 29, pages 101–105 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To compare the rate of increase in oxygen saturation in babies receiving supplemental oxygen during resuscitation with those transitioning in room air.

Study Design:

Prospective observational study. Infants were resuscitated with supplemental oxygen and continuous recording of preductal oxygen saturation was started immediately after birth. Oxygen saturation measurements from healthy newborns transitioned in room air were used for comparison.

Result:

A total of 186 infants were included—70 received supplemental oxygen and 116 were transitioned in room air. Compared with healthy infants transitioned in room air, infants receiving 100% oxygen by positive-pressure ventilation (PPV) did not differ significantly in the rate of increase in oxygen saturation (1.5% per minute, P=0.26), whereas infants receiving 100% free-flow oxygen had a significantly slower rate of increase in oxygen saturation (1.2% per minute, P=0.04).

Conclusion:

Babies receiving 100% oxygen by free flow had a slower increase in oxygen saturation compared with healthy infants transitioned in room air, whereas those receiving 100% oxygen by PPV had a similar increase in oxygen saturation compared with healthy infants transitioned in room air.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dimich I, Singh PP, Adell A, Hendler M, Sonnenklar N, Jhaveri M . Evaluation of oxygen saturation monitoring by pulse oximetry in neonates in the delivery system. Can J Anaesth 1991; 38: 985–988.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Gonzales GF, Salirrosas A . Pulse oxygen saturation and neurologic assessment in human neonates after vaginal and cesarean delivery. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 1998; 63: 63–66.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kopotic RJ, Lindner W . Assessing high-risk infants in the delivery room with pulse oximetry. Anesth Analg 2002; 94: S31–S36.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Deckardt R, Schneider KT, Graeff H . Monitoring arterial oxygen saturation in the neonate. J Perinat Med 1987; 15: 357–360.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Rabi Y, Yee W, Chen SY, Singhal N . Oxygen saturation trends immediately after birth. J Pediatr 2006; 148: 590–594.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Harris AP, Sendak MJ, Donham RT . Changes in arterial oxygen saturation immediately after birth in the human neonate. J Pediatr 1986; 109: 117–119.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. House JT, Schultetus RR, Gravenstein N . Continuous neonatal evaluation in the delivery room by pulse oximetry. J Clin Monit 1987; 3: 96–100.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Porter KB . Evaluation of arterial oxygen saturation of the newborn in the labor and delivery suite. J Perinatol 1987; 7: 337–339.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Kamlin CO, O’Donnell CP, Davis PG, Morley CJ . Oxygen saturation in healthy infants immediately after birth. J Pediatr 2006; 148: 585–589.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Michna J, Jobe AH, Ikegami M . Positive end-expiratory pressure preserves surfactant function in preterm lambs. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1999; 160: 634–639.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Poets CF, Rau GA, Neuber K, Gappa M, Seidenberg J . Determinants of lung volume in spontaneously breathing preterm infants. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1997; 155: 649–653.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Probyn ME, Hooper SB, Dargaville PA, McCallion N, Crossley K, Harding R et al. Positive end expiratory pressure during resuscitation of premature lambs rapidly improves blood gases without adversely affecting arterial pressure. Pediatr Res 2004; 56: 198–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Schlessel JS, Susskind H, Joel DD, Bossuyt A, Harrold WH, Zanzi I et al. Effect of PEEP on regional ventilation and perfusion in the mechanically ventilated preterm lamb. J Nucl Med 1989; 30: 1342–1350.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Boon AW, Milner AD, Hopkin IE . Lung expansion, tidal exchange, and formation of the functional residual capacity during resuscitation of asphyxiated neonates. J Pediatr 1979; 95: 1031–1036.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hammon Jr JW, Wolfe WG, Moran JF, Jones RH, Sabiston Jr DC . The effect of positive end-expiratory pressure on regional ventilation and perfusion in the normal and injured primate lung. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1976; 72: 680–689.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Saunders RA, Milner AD, Hopkin IE . The effects of continuous positive airway pressure on lung mechanics and lung volumes in the neonate. Biol Neonate 1976; 29: 178–186.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Vyas H, Milner AD, Hopkin IE, Boon AW . Physiologic responses to prolonged and slow-rise inflation in the resuscitation of the asphyxiated newborn infant 1. J Pediatr 1981; 99: 635–639.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Saugstad OD . Optimal oxygenation at birth and in the neonatal period. Neonatology 2007; 91: 319–322.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. AHA-AAP Neonatal Resuscitation Program Steering Committee. Textbook of Neonatal Resuscitation. 4th ed. American Academy of Pediatrics: Elk Grove Village, USA, 2000.

  20. Cohen J, West SG, Cohen P, Aiken L . Applied Multiple Regression/Correlation Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. 3rd edn Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc Inc., Mahwah, New Jersey, 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Littell RC, Milliken GA, Stroup WW, Wolfinger RD, Schabenberger O . SAS for Mixed Models. 2nd edn SAS Publishing, Cary, North Carolina, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Thome U, Topfer A, Schaller P, Pohlandt F . The effect of positive endexpiratory pressure, peak inspiratory pressure, and inspiratory time on functional residual capacity in mechanically ventilated preterm infants. Eur J Pediatr 1998; 157: 831–837.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Leone TA, Rich W, Finer NN . A survey of delivery room resuscitation practices in the United States. Pediatrics 2006; 117: e164–e175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Saugstad OD, Ramji S, Rootwelt T, Vento M . Response to resuscitation of the newborn: early prognostic variables. Acta Paediatrica 2005; 94: 890–895.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Y Rabi, S Y Chen, W H Yee & N Singhal

  2. Calgary Health Region, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Y Rabi, W H Yee & N Singhal

  3. Institute of Maternal and Child Health, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Y Rabi, W H Yee & N Singhal

Authors
  1. Y Rabi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S Y Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. W H Yee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. N Singhal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y Rabi.

Additional information

Financial Disclosure

None.

Conflict of interest

None declared. All authors contributed to all sections of the first draft of the manuscript and all subsequent revisions.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rabi, Y., Chen, S., Yee, W. et al. Relationship between oxygen saturation and the mode of oxygen delivery used in newborn resuscitation. J Perinatol 29, 101–105 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2008.186

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2008.186

Keywords

Search

Advanced search

Quick links