FREQUENCY OF HYPOCALCEMIA IN NEONATES WITH PERINATAL ASPHYXIA

Abstract

Background: Asphyxia in a basic term used when birth occurs and newborn's spontaneous respiration is delayed after delivery. More specifically, hypoxia, hypercapnia, and acidosis that cause systemic problems in the infant is known as birth asphyxia. Because of the possible consequences of hypocalcaemia, the relationship between it and fetal hypoxia is a crucial factor to take into account.

Objective: To determine the frequency of hypocalcaemia in neonates with perinatal asphyxia

Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Pediatric Medicine, Khalifa Gul Nawaz Teaching Hospital, Bannu, from July to December 2025. All newborns of both genders with perinatal asphyxia were included. Excluded were infants with sepsis, inborn metabolic errors, Rh incompatibility, and clinical suspicion of hematological conditions. SPSS version 25.0 was used for statistical analysis. p value <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: In this study, the average gestational age was 38.03 ± 1.06 weeks.  Of the 100 patients, 40 (40.0%) were male and 60 (60.0%) were female, with a male to female ratio of 1:1.5. The average weight in our sample was 3.09 ± 1.53 kg. The average serum calcium level was 2.14 ± 0.18 mg/dl. Hypocalcaemia was found in 27 (27.0%) newborns with perinatal asphyxia in our study.

Conclusion: According to our research, newborns that suffer from birth asphyxia go on to develop hypocalcaemia. When a newborn experiences hypoxia, prompt detection and effective treatment of hypocalcaemia lowers the chance of death and removes detrimental effects on neurological development.