Book excerpt: Reviews the current knowledge of the definition & diagnosis of acute perinatal asphyxia in term infants in order to develop operational & specific criteria to be tested in new studies. Summarized information currently available on this topic. Contents: scientific basis of brain injury in acute perinatal asphyxia; clinical assessment -- obstetrics; clinical assessment -- neonatal; interventions (conventional management; neuronal rescue & neuronal prohylaxis; glutamate antagonists, calcium channel blockers & Allopurinol); clinical studies of long-term outcome; clinical research. Charts & tables.