title: Incidence of neonatal sixth nerve palsy in relation to mode of delivery.
abstract: During a 10-year period on a level I neonatal service the total incidence (0.4%) and incidence by mode of delivery of neonatal lateral rectus paralysis occurring among 6886 term neonates was determined. The incidence of abducens nerve injury in this population increased progressively from 0% for deliveries by cesarean section to 0.1% for spontaneous vaginal delivery, to 2.4% for forceps delivery, and to 3.2% for vacuum extraction. This suggests that increased complexity of instrumentation during delivery is associated with an increased risk of sixth nerve palsy. A proposed mechanism for the injury to the sixth nerve is described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Queen's University, Kingston General Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Galbraith
mesh_terms: D020222:Abducens Nerve Injury; D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010246:Paralysis, Obstetric / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy