Newborns deprived of oxygen can have a reduced risk of brain damage and cerebral palsy by having their brains cooled for 72 hours after birth according to a recent study.
Babies that received an inadequate supply of oxygen to the brain during delivery showed signs of being at a high risk for brain injury. However researchers say brain damage does not happen immediately when babies are oxygen-deprived instead, researchers say a chemical cascade is triggered leading to brain damage hours or days afterwards.Thus researchers say treatment may be possible for babies who suffer oxygen deprivation at birth however they stress on the need for further study in order to get more information on the timing and methods of cooling, as well as which babies are most suitable for treatment before cooling becomes the standard of care for oxygen-deprived babies.
