Neonatal retinal hemorrhage and neurobehaviour related to the mode of delivery

ABSTRACT

The frequency and severity of neonatal retinal haemorrhages was evaluated in 200 neonates. The influence of the mode of delivery was obvious as retinal haemorrhage was commonest in infants delivered by vacuum extraction [52 percent] and in infants delivered by caesarean section after being in labour [44 percent] while the incidence for those delivered normally was [31 percent] and for those delivered by forceps it was [24 percent]. No infant had evidence of retinal haemorrhage in the group delivered by elective caesarean section. The initial grading of retinal haemorrhage was positively correlated with its frequency in each group as well as the rate of disappearance. It disappeared in all infants delivered normally within the fifth day and in most cases within one week postnatally. All infants had normal ophthalmologic findings after the third month. The neurological assessment showed no relationship between the grade of haemorrhage and the neurological score. Behavioral assessment showed initial lower records for infants delivered by vacuum extraction or by caesarean section in labour. However, the predominant state after the 5[th] day postnatally showed normal records for all cases. It is emphasized that neonatal retinal haemorrhage is a common transient condition. Its incidence and severity are related to the mode of delivery. It is not related to abnormal neurological signs