Birth Asphyxia & Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy

Birth asphyxia is impaired gas exchange around the time of birth leading to hypoxaemia, hypercarbia and metabolic acidosis; when this insult injures the brain, the resulting clinical syndrome is hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). HIE remains a leading cause of neonatal mortality and lifelong neurodisability (cerebral palsy), and the only proven neuroprotective therapy — therapeutic hypothermia — must be started …