Evidence of a significant metabolic acidosis, an umbilical artery base deficit> 12 mmol/L,
confirms that an asphyxial exposure has occurred. This is observed at delivery in
approximately 2% of all pregnancies. Classification of the severity of the asphyxial exposure
is difficult because the duration and nature of the exposure and the characteristics of the
fetal cardiovascular response to the asphyxia in the affected fetus is usually not known. A
classification is proposed in which the exposure to asphyxia is confirmed by a blood gas and …