Question
During my pregnancy, my baby was in a tight nuchal position for about 14 or 15 days. The wrap was quite tight, and when the baby was born, there was a case of suffocation. The doctor at the hospital said we should send the baby to the incubator for observation and it would be best to have a brain CT scan. I’m worried because the baby is so small and the radiation from the CT is severe. I want to ask, how severe is it for a baby to suffocate for 15 minutes?
Answer
Generally speaking, a baby suffocating for 15 minutes is considered a mild case of suffocation and will not leave any residual symptoms. Only moderate to severe suffocation can lead to corresponding residual symptoms. However, when a baby experiences suffocation at birth, it is necessary to consider the severity of the suffocation at that time, which is indicated by the Apgar score. If the Apgar score is very low, it indicates that the baby’s suffocation was very severe at that time, which may cause damage to vital organs. Some babies may have residual neurological symptoms. Therefore, appropriate care and observation are needed in the later stages.