Severe apnea and bradycardia in a term infant

Case report : This male infant was born at 39 4/7 weeks of gestation to a 24-year-old G1/P1 following an uncomplicated pregnancy. During labor, when signs of fetal distress were noted on the CTG and the amniotic fluid became meconium-stained, it was decided to accelerate delivery by vacuum extraction. Apgar scores were 7, 8, and 10 after 1, 5, and 10 minutes, respectively, and the arterial cord blood pH was 7.34. Physical examination was unremarkable apart from a parieto-occipital vacuum extraction mark. Birth weight was 3060 g, head circumference 34 cm and length 50 cm (all 10th to 25th percentile). The infant was brought to the maternity ward with his mother.