The association between persistent occiput posterior position and neonatal outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of persistent occiput posterior position on neonatal outcome.


METHODS
This is a retrospective cohort study of 31,392 term, cephalic, singleton births. Women with neonates born in persistent occiput posterior position at delivery were compared to those with occiput anterior position. Women with occiput transverse position were excluded. The association between occiput posterior position and neonatal outcomes, including 5-minute Apgar scores, umbilical cord gases, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, meconium aspiration syndrome, birth trauma, admission to the intensive care nursery, and length of stay were examined using chi(2) and Student t tests. Potential confounders (maternal age, ethnicity, parity, gestational age, epidural anesthesia, labor induction, length of labor, meconium, chorioamnionitis, birth weight, and year of delivery) were controlled for by using multivariable logistic regression and linear regression analyses.


RESULTS
There were 2,591 (8.2%) neonates delivered in occiput posterior position of the total cohort of 31,392 deliveries. Compared with occiput anterior, neonates delivered in occiput posterior position had higher risks for adverse outcomes, including 5-minute Apgar score less than 7 (odds ratio [OR] 1.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17-1.91), acidemic umbilical cord gases (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.52-2.77), meconium-stained amniotic fluid (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.17-1.42), birth trauma (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.22-2.57), admission to the intensive care nursery (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.28-1.92), and longer neonatal stay in the hospital (OR 2.69, 95% CI 2.22-3.25).


CONCLUSIONS
Persistent occiput posterior position at delivery is associated with higher risks of adverse neonatal outcomes compared with neonates delivered in the occiput anterior position. This information may be important in counseling women who experience persistent occiput posterior position in labor.


METHODS
II-2.
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA. yvecheng@hotmail.com
Yvonne W
YW
Cheng
Brian L
BL
Shaffer
Aaron B
AB
Caughey
D000328:Adult; D001034:Apgar Score; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007746:Labor Presentation; D008423:Maternal Age; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment