Effects of Delivery Mode on Short-term Neonatal Outcomes

The risk of morbidity and mortality increases in neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Various factors contribute to the prognosis of these newborns. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the role of mode of delivery on short-term neonatal outcomes. This retrospective study was conducted on 215 neonates admitted to the NICU of Shohada-e-Tajrish Hospital in 2007 and 2008. The respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), mortality, birth weight, gestational age, and Apgar score were compared between two groups born via natural vaginal delivery (NVD) and c-section (CS), respectively. In the current study, of 126 CS cases, 46.8% had a gestational age of more than 37 weeks, 52.4% were low birth weight (LBW) infants, 29.3% had severe RDS, 17.7% had an Apgar score less than 7, and 9.7% of the infants passed away. Of 89 NVD cases, 44.9% had a gestational age of more than 37 weeks, 48.3% were LBW infants, 18.4% had an Apgar score less than 7, 27.9% had severe RDS, and 10.1% of the infants passed away. The mean length of hospital stay was 8.39 and 7.84 days in CS and NVD groups, respectively. In CS and NVD groups, 27.8% and 22.5% had markers of infection. These factors had no significant association with the mode of delivery. Mode of delivery has no impact on the Apgar score, mortality, length of hospital stay, RDS, and infection markers in neonates admitted to the NICU.