What do systematic reviews say?

Barbiturate treatment vs placebo or no treatment

Barbiturate treatment showed no clear difference in abnormal neurologic exam at discharge compared with placebo or no treatment (low certainty).

• Prophylactic barbiturate use for the prevention of morbidity and mortality following perinatal asphyxia 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.85 [0.67, 1.08]
  4 studies · 245 participants
  Low