Oxygen metabolism and oxygenation of the newborn

The premature infant is to some extent protected from hypoxia, however defense against hyperoxia is poorly developed. The optimal assessment of oxygenation is to measure oxygen delivery and extraction. At the bedside PaO2 and SpO2 are approximations of oxygenation at the tissue level. After birth asphyxia it is crucial to know whether or not to give oxygen supplementation, when, how much, and for how long. Oxygen saturation targets in the delivery room have been studied, but the optimal targets might still be unknown because factors like gender and delayed cord clamping influence saturation levels.
Source: Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine - Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Source Type: research