Vol. 4, Issue 1, Part A (2022)

Introduction: Perinatal asphyxia is a major global cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. In Nigeria, despite the improvement in perinatal care, perinatal mortality is still responsible for about 27% on neonatal mortality. The use of magnesium sulphate to antagonize the excitotoxicity and subsequent brain damage in severe perinatal asphyxia is increasingly being employed. Objective: To assess the role of magnesium sulphate and the timing of administration of the first dose on survival and short term neurologic outcome of neonates with severe perinatal asphyxia (SPNA) treated at Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe Methodology: This was a prospective cross sectional observational study conducted at Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) of Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe. Neonatal parameters such as age, gender, weight, pulse SpO2 APGAR score and time of administration of first dose of magnesium sulphate were recorded. Mothers booking status, parity, place of delivery and prepatum administration magnesium sulphate were also recorded. The neonates tone, reflexes, seizures and grade of HIE was assessed daily for five days. Results: Out of 706 neonates admitted 136 had SPNA giving a prevalence of 19.3%. There were 84(61.8%) males and 52(38.2%) female M: F 1.6:1. Respiratory distress was commonest presenting symptom and mortality was 23.5%. Birth weight and HIE had statistically significant association with outcome but there was no difference in mortality with time of administration of first dose. Conclusion: Magnesium sulphate significantly improved the short term outcome of neonates with HIE but there was no difference in mortality in relation to timing of administration of first dose.