Background: Perinatal asphyxia is one of the three leading causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality, along with prematurity and neonatal sepsis and the burden of these diseases is greatest in nations with limited resources. With
this objective, the present study was conducted to describe the epidemiological and clinical aspects of perinatal asphyxia in a developing country to reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality linked to this major public health
problem.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1, 2019, to October 31, 2021, in the
neonatology unit of the Centre hospitalier universitaire pédiatrique Charles de Gaulle, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
(West Africa). All newborns, with an Apgar score less than 7 at the 5 minute of birth, were included.
Results: The records of 331 newborns were analyzed in which, the frequency of perinatal asphyxia was 22.3%. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy was mild in 57.7% of cases, moderate in 25.4% of cases, and severe in 16.9% of cases. sequelae were observed in 26.7% of cases.
Conclusion: The burden of perinatal asphyxia is high in our UN with a high mortality rate and sequelae. This neonatal
concern can be decreased using the continuum of care by strengthening the “Pregnancy monitoring-codified management of childbirth-postnatal care” system.

Obstructed labour; Newborn; Neonatal resuscitation; Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.