Birth Asphyxia: A Resource for Parents

Work with Dr. Pia Wintermark, Head of NeoBrainLab at Montreal Children’s Hospital

Dr. Pia Wintermark is a neonatologist at Montreal Children’s Hospital. She treats babies who have experienced birth asphyxia, which means they didn’t get enough oxygen or blood at birth. What causes birth asphyxia is unknown, but the potential consequences are scary for new parents: it can lead to brain damage and other developmental problems.

The only known treatment for birth asphyxia is called hypothermia treatment, or cooling. Doctors put the baby in what looks like an incubator and decrease the baby’s body temperature, which slows brain activity and gives it time to recover.

It’s difficult for parents to find comprehensive and accurate information about this treatment, so we worked with Dr. Wintermark to develop a resource for parents. We built a simple website (which Dr. Wintermark populates and maintains) with information about birth asphyxia and hypothermia treatment, featuring a direct but gentle video that walks new parents through what to expect when their baby gets treatment.

Produced with Anne Calandre