Lab

Umbilical Cord Blood Gas Analysis

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Umbilical Cord Blood Gas Analysis

  • Indications
  1. Consider in all high risk deliveries
  • Technique
  1. Sample obtained immediately after delivery
  2. Sample from Umbilical Artery (not the vein)
  3. Use preheparinized syringe
  • Interpretation
  • Normal arterial blood
  1. pH: 7.28 +/- 0.05
    1. Unlikely to be significant if >7.10
  2. pCO2: 49 +/- 8.4
  3. pO2: 18 +/- 6.2
  4. HCO3: 22 +/- 2.5
  5. Base Excess: -4 +/- 2
  • References
  1. Pomerace (2000) J Perinatol 5:338-9 [PubMed]