Ambu bag: How a simple, life-saving device can prevent newborn deaths

The first few minutes after birth, often called the 'golden minute,' are critical for a newborn's survival. While most babies breathe easily, thousands struggle due to birth asphyxia, a condition defined by the World Health Organization as the failure to establish breathing at birth. In these crucial moments, a simple device known as the Ambu bag can be a lifesaver, providing the necessary oxygen to help newborns breathe.

An Ambu bag, also called a manual resuscitator or bag-valve mask, delivers positive-pressure ventilation to infants who are not breathing or breathing inadequately. Invented in 1956 by German engineer Holger Hesse and Danish anesthesiologist Henning Ruben, the device has become essential in neonatal resuscitation, replacing outdated methods like holding a newborn upside down. Its invention stemmed from a need for portable artificial ventilation during emergencies, particularly during a period of oxygen scarcity in Danish hospitals.

Despite its life-saving potential, birth asphyxia remains a significant global health challenge. The WHO estimates that perinatal asphyxia accounts for approximately 900,000 deaths annually, making it a leading cause of early neonatal mortality. Complications during childbirth are the most common cause. The United Nations Children's Fund highlights that birth asphyxia contributes to about one-third of the estimated 250,000 to 280,000 newborn deaths in Nigeria each year, representing tens of thousands of preventable infant fatalities.

Health experts stress that the Ambu bag should be readily available in all medical facilities, particularly in primary healthcare centers, maternity homes, clinics, and hospitals, especially in low-resource areas. The World Health Organization's neonatal resuscitation guidelines underscore the importance of drying, stimulating, and warming babies experiencing birth asphyxia. For those who still struggle to breathe, the bag-and-mask device is described as the most critical intervention for managing asphyxiated newborns.