Simplified assessment of asphyxia at birth.

A simplified clinical method of assessment of the baby soon after birth was evaluated and compared with the cord blood pH and 1 min Apgar score. The assessment recorded cry, respiration, colour, activity, reflex response, and cord pulsation. Sixty-two neonates born at term by normal vaginal delivery with 1 min Apgar score of 0-6 (n = 31) and 7-10 (n = 31) were studied. Linear correlation coefficient (r) and Goodman's correlation coefficient (gamma) were used for statistical comparison. A combination of cry, colour and activity showed the best correlation with cord blood pH (r = 0.3842, P < 0.01: gamma = 0.7138) and 1 min Apgar score (r = 0.7768, P < 0.01, gamma = 0.9393) and was as useful as the combination of all the six clinical parameters. Illiterate traditional birth attendants can be safely taught to use cry, colour, and activity for assessing baby's condition at birth.