title: Neonatal respiratory morbidity and mode of delivery in a population-based study of low-risk pregnancies.
abstract: The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between the mode of delivery and the risk of neonatal respiratory complications in a cohort of term newborns in the Lazio region, Italy. Data on 139,379 term singleton infants born in 2003-2005 were retrieved from birth and hospital discharge database. Odds Ratios (ORs) adjusted by age, parity, birth weight, gestational age, and gender were calculated using logistic regression models. The rate of prelabor cesarean section (CS) was 26.2%. The rates of neonatal respiratory morbidity were 29.6/1,000 in infants delivered by prelabor CS and 17.4/1,000 in infants delivered vaginally or by CS in labor. The adjusted risk of neonatal respiratory morbidity associated with prelabor cesarean birth at 37 weeks is four times higher than in intended vaginal birth after 37 weeks. Prelabor cesarean delivery should be performed after at least 38 weeks' of gestation in order to minimize neonatal respiratory morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency, Lazio region, Rome, Italy. farchi@asplazio.it
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farchi
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Lallo
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polo
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lucchini
authors.forename: Flaminia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Calzolari
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Curtis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn