Infections, Not Delivery, Cause Newborn Brain Injuries

Researchers have discovered that neonatal infections, not delivery, are associated with brain injuries in the white matter of neonates, which can be a precursor to cerebral palsy and other disorders.

White matter is generally injured at "end zones” between the long arteries that supply blood to the brain. These zones are susceptible to a fall in blood flow and oxygen that could occur during delivery, which would be marked by excess acid in the umbilical cord.

The research team reviewed medical records of 150 premature babies who had white matter injuries and compared each baby's delivery to that of the next healthy baby delivered at the same gestational age (23-24 weeks), seeking causes of problems. Acid levels in the umbilical cords were similar in both the healthy and the brain-injured infants, as were other factors such as maternal infections and the percentage born by cesarean section versus regular delivery. The only difference found was that the brain-injured babies were more likely to have evidence of infections of the cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and windpipe.

"Our study refutes the fact that white matter injuries are caused by delivery,” said Ernest Graham, M.D., senior study author and assistant professor of gynecology/obstetrics at Johns Hopkins (Baltimore, MD, USA). "The biggest association with these injuries was clearly neonatal infections.”




Related Links:
Johns Hopkins