The definition of acute perinatal asphyxia.

Perinatal asphyxia remains a concern for physicians, patients, and attorneys. The history of concern for this condition is reviewed, and efforts in neonatal-perinatal medicine to identify at risk patients and prevent serious sequelae are discussed. A definition consistent with the American Academy of Pediatrics-American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Guidelines for Perinatal Care, requiring multiple biochemical and clinical indices for asphyxia, is given.