Reference values for babies' pulse oximetry recordings, highlighting the impact of cesarean sections and COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: With a focus on the consequences of caesarean delivery as a result of mother stress and the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic as a source of maternal stress, the study sought to identify reference values for pulse oximetry recordings among both healthy full-term neonates and preterm and unhealthy neonates.Methods: A comparative study of 170 neonates admitted to the Fayoum university NICU after being born in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology. Collected pulse oximetry readings at predetermined intervals was done. Patients were classified into group I (before 1st wave of COVID-19 pandemic) and group II (during 1st wave of COVID-19 pandemic).Results: The 5th and 95th percentiles of SpO2 after 1 minute after birth were (65% to 90%), with a mean of 77%, according to the study of 146 full-term healthy newborns. SpO2 readings were (89% to 97.1%) with a mean of 92% after 5 minutes, and finally (90% to 98%) with a mean of 93% after 10 minutes. Statistically significant lower means of SpO2 were found during 1st wave of COVID-19 pandemic after 10 minutes of delivery, and for Apgar score after 1 and 5 minutes of delivery. There was a negative impact of cesarean section delivery on gestational age.Conclusions: This research reveals that after 10 minutes of delivery, a Spo2 recorded range of 90 to 98 for full-term healthy neonates and a mean of 86% for preterm and ill neonates may be appropriate. The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had a deleterious impact on neonates' SpO2 recordings and Apgar scores, according to the study. There was a gestational age effect associated with caesarean delivery.