Is permanent congenital facial palsy caused by birth trauma?
OBJECTIVE
To study the relation between traumatic birth and the development of permanent facial palsy in the newborn.


METHODS
Retrospective case control study of children with 'congenital' facial palsy.


METHODS
Two tertiary referral centres for patients with facial palsy.


METHODS
61 children with established facial palsy.


METHODS
Odds ratios of recognised factors for birth injury: maternal primiparity, high birth weight, and the use of obstetric forceps at delivery.


RESULTS
13.2% of those studied had forceps assisted delivery compared to 10.2% in the normal population (odds ratio 1.34; 95% confidence intervals 0.61 to 2.97) 39.6% were born to primiparae compared to a national rate of 36.7% (1.13; 0.65 to 1.96) and only 18.9% weighed more than 3500 g at birth (0.37; 0.19 to 0.74).


CONCLUSIONS
There is no association between the development of permanent 'congenital' facial palsy and recognised risk factors for birth injury. These data suggest an intrauterine rather than a traumatic aetiology.
Laing
J H
JH
RAFT Institute of Plastic Surgery, Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, Middlesex.
Harrison
D H
DH
Jones
B M
BM
Laing
G J
GJ
D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D001724:Birth Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005113:Extraction, Obstetrical / Q000009:adverse effects; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000151:congenital / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors