Background: Perinatal asphyxia is a major cause of neonatal mortality and neurological disability. The five minute APGAR score is a good predictor of immediate and long term neonatal outcome.

Objectives: the study was undertaken to assess the immediate neurological outcome of term babies with perinatal asphyxia and to compare it with APGAR score at 5 minutes to find out any significant difference between severe and moderate birth asphyxia

Material and Methods: 100 terms in born babies with APGAR score ≤ 6 were included in the study. Babies with APGAR score ≤ 6 were admitted in neonatal intensive care unit and serially assessed during first 72 hours after birth for HIE and convulsion. HIE was further classified by levene grading.

Results and Conclusion: Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), seizures and mortality were directly proportional to severity of perinatal asphyxia. There is statistically significant difference in the occurrence of HIE, convulsion and mortality between moderate and severe birth asphyxia.

Keywords: Perinatal asphyxia, 5 minute APGAR scores, Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, seizures.

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Ashraf.T.P

Additional Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, India

Mob: 9895324551, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.