Background: one of the most important neonatal morbidity during labor is Perinatal asphyxia.
Hypoxia causes release troponin from cardiac muscles. Fetal distress during labor may be
detected by monitoring the fetal heart rate. Elevated levels of troponin T in cord blood may
be associated with intrauterine hypoxia.
Aim: Relations between umbilical troponin T levels and fetal distress
Methods: Cord blood samples were collected from 80 neonates and analyzed. Data on birth
weight, sex, APGAR scores, and mode of delivery were recorded.
Results: a total of 80 samples were collected, 40 samples from infants with fetal distress and
40 samples from infants without fetal distress. The gestational age of these infants ranged
from 38 to 40 weeks and birth weight ranged from 2.5 to 4 kg. There was no relation between umbilical troponin T levels and mode of delivery. Fetuses with distress had significantly
higher cord troponin T levels than control group (26/42 versus 50/46 µg /ml respectively; p