How can Birth Asphyxia be prevented? - Dr. Piyush Shah of Cloudnine Hospitals | Doctors’ Circle

Birth asphyxia is a very unpredictable situation. Any baby to be born is at the risk of it. The only way to prevent it is to have a good antenatal follow up of the mother with the obstetrician. Every delivery, of any baby, whether there is a high risk factor or no risk factor should be in the presence of a birth attendant trained in neonatal resuscitation. The first few minutes as we call as the golden minutes of life will determine the prognosis of the asphysicated baby, so the first few minutes become utmost important. So any baby to be born should be in the presence of a trained birth attendant, which could be a doctor, which could be a nurse, it could just be an attendant, it could be a doctor, it could be a nurse, it could just be an attender. But the person needs to be trained in neonatal resuscitation. It is prevention better than cure because once it happens, the damage is already caused and there is no treatment that can be done for the baby.