Clinical implications of perinatal depression

The evaluation of the depressed newborn as a possible role in intrapartum a sphyxia must be based on the objective findings of the fetal heart rate tra cing, umbilical cord blood gas, and newborn neurologic function. Using thes e points as a basis for long-term followup, the following principles have b een elucidated: Intrapartum asphyxia is an uncommon cause of childhood neur ologic dysfunction, the intrapartum insult necessary to cause long-term neu rologic dysfunction is profound, and the child who does not manifest enceph alopathy in the newborn period will not suffer long-term neurologic dysfunc tion that can be attributed to intrapartum asphyxia.