title: Neonatal outcome after caesarean birth for fetal distress and/or meconium staining in a South African rural setting.
abstract: The aim was to evaluate the effect of caesarean delivery on the neonatal outcome after labour with fetal distress and/or meconium staining (MS). We audited 199 caesarean sections performed for non-reassuring fetal condition (NRFC) and/or MS in a rural regional hospital. The 1 and 5 min Apgar scores were compared with those of 33 vaginal births after labour with MS. There were five neonates out of 232 (2.2%) with an Apgar score <7 at 5 min; one died early, neonatally. In the caesarean section group for NRFC, there were two fresh stillbirths and one early neonatal death, a perinatal mortality of 15.1/1,000 births. The 5 min Apgar score was not statistically significantly affected by the mode of delivery. Caesarean delivery does not improve the neonatal outcome when the amniotic fluid is meconium stained.
authors.affiliation: Saint Rita's Hospital, Limpopo, South Africa.
authors.forename: L-J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: van Bogaert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Misra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001034:Apgar Score; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005323:Fetal Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008471:Meconium Aspiration Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008485:Medical Audit; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D019035:Rural Health Services; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D016019:Survival Analysis