Relationship Between Mode of Delivery and Umbilical Cord Acidemia in Neonates Born at Ayatollah Kashani Hospital, (Kerman)

The pH of umbilical cord blood is a useful parameter for health status assessment of neonates. They may be premanently and irreversibly affected by acidemia. Some studies have shown that neonatal acidemia is related to the mode of delivery. Based on these considerations, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mode of delivery and acidemia and to find the possible effects of acidemia on amniotic fluid and Apgar score. In this longitudinal study, 200 neonates born by normal vaginal delivery and the same number born by elective cesarian (C-section) were included. These two groups were assessed in terms of the pH of umbilical cord blood, Apgar score at 1st and 5th minutes, and meconial amniotic fluid. By definition, acidemia was considered in neonates when their blood pH fell below 7.1. The rate of acidemia in the neonates born by C-section was significantly higher than the other group (36% vs 20.5% respectively, p<0.05). Acidemia in the C-section group was associated with low Apgar score at 1st and 5th minutes and also with meconial amniotic fluid. Based on our findings, acidemia in neonates born by C-section may cause a low Apgar score associated with fetal distress. These results provide further evidence of the negative effects of C-section on neonatal health. So it could be of great value to recommend C-section only for justifiable indications.