II. Indications
- Consider in all high risk deliveries
III. Technique
- Sample obtained immediately after delivery
- Sample from Umbilical Artery (not the vein)
- Use preheparinized syringe
IV. Interpretation: Normal arterial blood
- pH: 7.28 +/- 0.05
- Unlikely to be significant if >7.10
- pCO2: 49 +/- 8.4
- pO2: 18 +/- 6.2
- HCO3: 22 +/- 2.5
- Base Excess: -4 +/- 2