Impact of mode of delivery on skin microcirculation in term healthy newborns within the first day of life.
BACKGROUND
Microcirculation is an important component of hemodynamic physiology. It can be assessed simply by clinical scores or by a variety of techniques including sidestream dark field (SDF) imaging and peripheral perfusion index (PI) measurements. Mode of delivery may have affects on microcirculation during transitional period. The aim of this study was to compare skin microcirculation in newborns born via vaginal delivery (VD) or cesarian section (C/S).


METHODS
Term healthy newborns not requiring NICU admission were included. Vital signs were recorded. Skin microcirculation was determined by clinical scoring including capillary refill time, skin color, warmth of extremities, by SDF imaging where capillary density and microvascular flow is determined and by PI measurements where pulsatile and nonpulsatile capillary flow is measured. Assessments were done at 30 min and 24 h of life. Results were compared between VD and C/S groups and overtime.


RESULTS
There were 12 newborns in VD group and 25 newborns in C/S group. No difference was observed in microcirculation assessments between groups. However VD group had increased hyperdynamic flow overtime.


CONCLUSIONS
In healthy term newborns microcirculation does not seem to be affected by mode of delivery, however results may differ in sick or preterm newborns.
a Division of Newborn Medicine , Gazi University Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
Ferit
F
Kulali
a Division of Newborn Medicine , Gazi University Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
Ebru
E
Ergenekon
a Division of Newborn Medicine , Gazi University Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
Selma
S
Aktas
a Division of Newborn Medicine , Gazi University Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
Ebru
E
Kazanci
a Division of Newborn Medicine , Gazi University Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
Sezin
S
Unal
a Division of Newborn Medicine , Gazi University Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
İbrahim
İ
Hirfanoğlu
a Division of Newborn Medicine , Gazi University Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
Esra
E
Önal
a Division of Newborn Medicine , Gazi University Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
Canan
C
Türkyilmaz
a Division of Newborn Medicine , Gazi University Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
Esin
E
Koç
a Division of Newborn Medicine , Gazi University Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
Yildiz
Y
Atalay
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology*; D008853:Microscopy; D055806:Microvessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D047929:Term Birth
Microcirculation; mode of delivery; newborn