To test the hypothesis that quantitative EEG (qEEG) measures are associated with a grading of HIE based on the visual interpretation of neonatal EEG (EEG/HIE).Continuous multichannel video-EEG data were recorded for up to 72h. One-hour EEG segments from each recording were visually analysed and graded by two electroencephalographers (EEGers) blinded to clinical data. Several qEEG measures were calculated for each EEG segment. Kruskal–Wallis testing with post hoc analysis and multiple linear regression were used to assess the hypothesis.Fifty-four full-term infants with HIE were studied. The relative delta power, skewness, kurtosis, amplitude, and discontinuity were significantly different across four EEG/HIE grades (p<0.05). A linear combination of these qEEG measures could predict the EEG/HIE grade assigned by the EEGers with an accuracy of 89%.Quantitative analysis of background EEG activity has shown that measures based on the amplitude, frequency content and continuity of the EEG are associated with a visual interpretation of the EEG performed by experienced EEGers.Identifying qEEG measures that can separate between EEG/HIE grades is an important first step towards creating a classifier for automated detection of EEG/HIE grades.