The effect of cesarean delivery on birth outcome in very low birth weight infants

Article Abstract:

Cesarean sections are often performed to deliver infants of a very low birth weight. It is thought that such deliveries improve the infant's chance for survival. However, previous studies have been inconclusive as to whether cesarean sections actually do increase survival rates for low-birth-weight infants. This study examined whether the outcome for infants with a birth weight of between 501 and 1500 grams was better when they were delivered by cesarean section. The birth records of 1,765 low-birth-weight infants were examined for outcome as determined by survival for the first 27 days after birth and presence or absence of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH; bleeding within the brain) of grades II-IV. The infants were divided into four groups based on birth weight intervals of 501-750, 751-1000, 1001-1250, and 1251-1500 g. Cesarean rates in these four groups were 33, 52, 49, and 50 percent, respectively, and death rates for these same groups were 61, 30, 11, and 6 percent. IVH rates were 46, 39, 22, and 15 percent, respectively. When death rates by type of delivery were compared within each group, death rates for cesarean-delivered infants were lower for the 501-750 g infants (53 versus 64 percent). They were higher among the cesarean infants weighing 1001-1250 g (14 versus 8 percent), but were approximately equal for the other two groups. The occurrence of IVH was statistically less frequent only for infants delivered by cesarean that weighed 1251-1500 g (11.8 versus 18.9 percent). When other factors for deciding to opt for a cesarean section were excluded, risks of death or IVH were no better than vaginal delivery. These results indicate that cesarean section delivery does not increase the chances for survival of very-low-birth-weight infants when birth weight is the only reason for choosing a cesarean. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Patient outcomes, Mortality, Complications and side effects, Infants (Newborn), Newborn infants, Infant mortality, Cesarean section

---

Health and hospital readmissions of very-low-birth-weight and normal-birth-weight children

Article Abstract:

Very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) babies, those with a birth weight of 3 lbs 5 oz or less at birth, are known to have a higher incidence of neurologic developmental complications than normal-birth-weight (NBW) babies. Most data concerns the period from birth to early childhood. This study provides data on VLBW children at age two and at age five. These children were compared with NBW children for the numbers of neurodevelopmental abnormalities, health problems and hospital admissions. The study also wished to identify those VLBW children most at risk for these problems. There were 197 VLBW and 47 NBW children studied. The results indicated that the VLBW had significantly more hospital admissions than the NBW group (a mean of 1.7 admissions versus 0.5), and longer stays (an average of 8.5 days versus 1.7). The most common reasons for admission in the VLBW group were respiratory tract problems and problems requiring ear, nose or throat surgery. There were no variables discovered that could be used to identify those children most at risk for readmission. At age five the VLBW group showed significantly more sensory nerve problems, ongoing respiratory problems and other illnesses than did the NBW group. Surprisingly lower birth weight and increased use of ventilation and oxygen at birth were not statistically significant predictors of either hospital readmission due to respiratory problems, or hospital readmission for any reason. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Statistics, Infants (Premature), Premature infants, Hospitals, Hospital admission and discharge

---

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: The effect of warfarin on mortality and reinfarction after myocardial infarction. High time for action
• Abstracts: The relation between experience and outcome in heart transplantation. Viral triggers of cardiac-allograft dysfunction
• Abstracts: Monitoring the effects of caesarean sections. Children's hospital at home
• Abstracts: Treatment of diversion colitis with short-chain-fatty acid irrigation. Klebsiella oxytoca as a causative organism of antibiotic-associated hemorrhagic colitis
• Abstracts: The effects of cimetidine on the oxidative metabolism of estradiol. Male hypogonadism with gynecomastia caused by late-onset deficiency of testicular 17-ketosteroid reductase

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.