[Cerebral symptoms in the term newborn infant. Results of a prospective survey]. / La souffrance cérébrale du nouveau-né à terme. Résultats d'une enquête prospective.

1785 newborns of 37 weeks GA or more, were studied during a 15 months period at the Port-Royal Maternity Hospital. This study suggests that cerebral abnormalities during the neonatal period in fullterm neonates are related to deleterious intra partum factors. In 57 newborns, clear cut signs of cerebral birth injury were observed, in 31 newborns only mild and transitory signs were observed. These 88 newborns were compared with 1655 having had a normal neurological examination within the first week of life. We focused particulary on dysfunctional labor patterns, specifically false labor, protracted active phase dilatation, protracted descent or a marked caput succedaneum. When these abnormal patterns are followed by oxytocin infusion and forceps extraction, primiparity appears linked with a high risk of cerebral birth injury. Within cephalic presentations, the occipito-posterior position is carrying the same high risk. The most severe degree of cerebral birth injury has nearly disappeared. However, the main problem of modern obstetrics is one of eradicating brain damage of moderate degree without reaching an excessive incidence of C. section.

[Cerebral damage in the full-term newborn infant. Causes and outcome]. / La souffrance cérébrale du nouveau-né à terme

Modern obstetrics can no longer be content to statistically analyse deaths only but must also concern itself with injuries. Cerebral damage in the new-born at term may result in grave sequelae. A study was made in the maternity department of the Port-Royal hospital of 65 infants, born at 38 weeks or later, with neurological signs, over the period 1968/69. The study was aimed at clarifying neonatal neurological signs, analysing the obstetric circumstances in which the complications occurred and observing future development of the children involved. In most instances a combination of neurological signs was present, falling into three broad clinical categories on the basis of severity. These neurological signs may appear during the hours after birth even when the Apgar score was satisfactory. Analysis of the cases showed that obstetric factors were responsible for the neurological disorder in 45 cases. The obstetric circumstances were almost always identical: abnormalities of presentation, dynamic problems during labour, and trials of labour. Modern methods for in-utero foetal surveillance are excellent but can nerve replace a perfect and hard won understanding of basic obstetric principles. Follow-up showed that sequelae remained in 7 children. It would appear, then, that in addition to "high risk" pregnancies, there exist "high risk" deliveries in part unpredictable before the onset of labour. There exists also a group of children in whom risk is increased and in whom surveillance over many years is indicated.

[Frequency of birth defects. Study of a maternity hospital in Paris]. / Frequence des malformations à la naissance. Etude d'une maternite Parisienne

A retrospective study of 20,591 live born babies and still birth was made in order to estimate the incidence of congenital malformations total and by type diagnosed at birth. The total incidence is 1,74 p. 100. The sex ratio, the mean birth rank and parental ages were computed for the different types of malformation and in the control group. The birth weight was low in case of severe malformation. It was found that malformations were associated with significantly raised abortions and still birth rates among previous pregnancies.