Placental oxygen transfer and intrauterine resuscitation: a survey of knowledge in maternity care professionals.

We surveyed 99 maternity care professionals (obstetricians, midwives and anaesthetists in equal numbers) to assess their knowledge of potential treatments during acute intrapartum fetal hypoxia, including maternal oxygen administration. Knowledge of adult arterial oxygen saturation was satisfactory, but few of those surveyed gave a correct figure for fetal oxygenation in terms of umbilical vein oxygen saturation. Only 58% said that maternal oxygen inhalation would affect fetal oxygenation, and 76% of those giving a figure underestimated the potential extent of the increase. Other aspects of intrauterine resuscitation were also not identified. Out of three further factors besides maternal oxygen administration which are commonly considered, 76% suggested none or one, and only 24% noted two or all three. Acute fetal hypoxia during labour and delivery may be amenable to correction by improving oxygen supply to the placenta. We identified deficits in the underlying knowledge of these processes among maternity care professionals. Without this knowledge, correctable causes of fetal hypoxia may go untreated.