title: Short-term maternal and neonatal outcomes by mode of delivery. A case-controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Side-by-side comparisons of short-term maternal and neonatal outcomes for spontaneous vaginal delivery, instrumental vaginal delivery, planned caesarean section and caesarean section during labor in patients matched for clinical condition, age, and week of gestation are lacking. This case-controlled study was undertaken to evaluate short-term maternal and neonatal complications in a healthy population at term by mode of delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four groups of healthy women, with antenatally normal singleton pregnancies at term, who underwent instrumental vaginal delivery (no. 201), spontaneous delivery (no. 402), planned caesarean section without labor (no. 402) and caesarean section in labor (no. 402) have been retrospectively selected. Outcome measures were maternal and neonatal short-term complications. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maternal complications were mostly associated with forceps-assisted and vacuum-assisted instrumental deliveries (OR: 6.9; 95% CI: 2.9-16.4 and OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.1-8.8, respectively, versus spontaneous deliveries). No significant differences in overall complications were observed between spontaneous vaginal deliveries and caesarean sections, whether planned or in labor. By comparison with caesarean sections in labor, instrumental deliveries significantly increased the risk of complications (OR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.6-6.5). Neonatal complications were also mostly correlated with forceps-assisted and vacuum-assisted instrumental deliveries (OR: 3.5; 95% CI: 1.9-6.7 and OR 3.8; 95% CI 2.0-7.4, respectively, versus spontaneous deliveries). By comparison with caesarean sections in labor, instrumental vaginal deliveries significantly increased the risk of complications (OR: 4.2; 95% CI: 2.4-7.4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In healthy women with antenatally normal singleton pregnancies at term, instrumental deliveries are associated with the highest rate of short-term maternal and neonatal complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Torino, Italy. chbened@tin.it
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benedetto
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marozio
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Prandi
authors.forename: Ajit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roccia
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blefari
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fabris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014620:Vacuum Extraction, Obstetrical / Q000009:adverse effects*