title: Neonatal outcomes following elective caesarean delivery at term: a hospital-based cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess neonatal outcomes following elective caesarean delivery (CD) at term (≥37 + 0 weeks gestation).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a single Irish maternity hospital. Elective CDs at term between August 2008 and July 2012 were reviewed. Outcome measures were admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), length of stay, respiratory complications, hypoglycaemia, jaundice, newborn sepsis and medical interventions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 4242 women had an elective CD at term, accounting for approximately 15% of all term deliveries. Admission rate to the NICU at 37 weeks gestation was 21.8% versus 10% at 39 weeks (p for trend <0.0001). Similar trends of decreasing risk with later gestational age were noted for the other outcomes. An increased odds of admission to the NICU at 37 weeks [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.48 (95% CI 1.28, 4.79)] and at 38 weeks [OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.02, 1.77] compared to the reference of 39 weeks gestation was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supports evidence that, with regard to neonatal outcome, 39 weeks gestational age is the optimal delivery time. Heightened awareness of the increased risk of neonatal morbidity, when delivery is performed electively before 39 weeks, is warranted among healthcare workers.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , University College Cork , Cork , Ireland .
authors.forename: Daragh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Finn
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre, Anu Research Centre, Cork University Maternity Hospital , Wilton , Cork , Ireland .|c The Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), University College Cork , Cork , Ireland , and.
authors.forename: Sinéad M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.affiliation: a Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , University College Cork , Cork , Ireland .
authors.forename: Aedin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: c The Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), University College Cork , Cork , Ireland , and.|d Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , University College Cork , Cork , Ireland.
authors.forename: Ali S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Khashan
authors.affiliation: d Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , University College Cork , Cork , Ireland.
authors.forename: Keelin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Donoghue
authors.affiliation: a Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , University College Cork , Cork , Ireland .
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dempsey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Admission; intensive care; morbidity; newborn; respiratory