Birth Asphyxia and the Brain: Basic Science and Clinical Implications

This text presents a state-of-the-art review of asphyxial brain injury to the foetus and new born, a leading source of both neonatal mortality and long-term neurologic disability. Beginning with an historical overview of birth-related injury, followed by an epidemiologic review of the relationship of birth injury to later neuromotor disability, it provides a detailed analysis and exhaustive review of each aspect. The contributors are among the most knowledgeable international authorities in the field; they have synthesized a uniformity of medical and scientific quality, clarity of style, and thoroughness of scope. Continual emphasis is placed on the material's relevance and usefulness to clinicians; equally important is the emphasis on communication between clinicians and basic neuroscientists. The task of paediatricians and neonatologists in coming years will be to better understand the mechanism of brain damage, the prediction of disability, and the introduction of efficacious neuroprotective strategies. To that end, this volume deserves wide recognition by physicians in all disciplines related to neonatal care, including paediatricians, neonatologists, neurologists, obstetricians, family practitioners, nurses and legal counsel.