ABSTRACT
Background and Purpose: Because of the uncontrolled prevalence of cesarean in Iran and its complications for mother and infant with further social and ethical consequences, this study was conducted to compare the neonatal complications in newborns by cesarean and vaginal delivery
Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional, analytical descriptive study was conducted on infants born at the maternity ward of Imamreza Hospital and Ghaem Hospital in Mashad, Iran. The sample size with the confidence interval of 95% and test power of 80% was estimated to be 770 neonates. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS 11.5 using Student t-test, Mann Whitney U and chi-square test
Results: Vaginal delivery was attempted by 344 women, and 426 women underwent elective cesarean delivery. The two delivery procedures were significantly different [p=0.002]as for the occurrence of RDS, which occurred in 31 cesarean cases [7.3%] and 12 vaginal cases [3.7%]. Also, in 14 cesarean cases [3.4%] and 24 vaginal cases [7%], asphyxia occurred. Transient tachypnea was observed to occur in 14 cesarean cases [3.3%] and 2 vaginal cases [0.6%], and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant [p=0.001]. Hospitalization in NICU was prescribed for 28 cesarean cases [6.6%] and 33 vaginal cases [10.2%], and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant [p=0.001]. Six cesarean cases [1.4%] and 48 vaginal cases [14%] experiences labor disorders, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant [p<0.001]
Conclusion: Fetal complications like RDS, gestational asphyxia and neonatal tachypnea due to cesarean were significantly higher in infants born by cesarean section than those born by vaginal delivery