Many factors are closely associated with the development of neonatal asphyxia, including high blood pressure, diabetes, severe anaemia, heart disease, infection and drug use on the part of the mother, congenital diseases such as congenital heart disease, congenital lung dysplasia and congenital malformations on the part of the foetus, and other factors including excessive foetal weight, prematurity, emergency labour, obstructed labour, haemorrhage during labour, contamination of amniotic fluid with foetal faeces and aspiration of foetal faeces from the newborn, all of which can cause neonatal asphyxia and therefore require close monitoring and prompt management of the condition of the mother, foetus and newborn throughout pregnancy and labour.