Could elective cesarean sections influence the birth weight of full-term infants?
OBJECTIVE
There are no studies on birth weights among full-term infants born by means of elective cesarean section. We aimed to study this in private and public hospitals.


METHODS
Retrospective study at Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Brazil.


METHODS
Data were collected from the municipal medical birth register of Uberaba from January to December 2000. The data obtained (maternal age, type of delivery, number of prenatal care visits and birth weight, from full-term pregnancy) from the university hospital (UH), which is a tertiary hospital that only attends patients within the National Health System (SUS), were compared with data from four private hospitals (PHs) that attend health insurance plans and private patients. Student's t test, chi2 test and multiple logistic regression were used for statistical analysis, with the significance level set at p < 0.05.


RESULTS
In the PHs, 1,100 out of 1,354 births (81.2%) were by cesarean section and in the UH, 373 out of 1,332 (28%). Birth weight increased significantly in association with increasing numbers of prenatal care visits, except for cesarean section cases in PHs. Birth weights among vaginal delivery cases in PHs were greater than in the UH (p < 0.05), but this was not observed among cesarean section cases. Multiple logistic regression showed that there was greater risk of low birth weight in PHs (odds ratio: 2.33; 95% confidence interval: 1.19 to 4.55).


CONCLUSIONS
Elective cesarean section performed in PHs may be associated with low birth weight among full-term infants.
Murta
Eddie Fernando Candido
EF
Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, CEP 38025-440, Minas Gerais, Brazil. eddiemurta@mednet.com.br
Freire
Guilherme Carvalho
GC
Fabri
Daniel Capucci
DC
Fabri
Renato Humberto
RH
D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies