Document 0210
 DOCN  M9460210
 TI    Does cesarean delivery prevent cerebral palsy or other neurologic
       problems of childhood?
 DT    9404
 AU    Scheller JM; Nelson KB; Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland
       Hospital,; Baltimore.
 SO    Obstet Gynecol. 1994 Apr;83(4):624-30. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94181222
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To determine whether cesarean delivery can lead to fewer
       childhood neurologic problems. DATA SOURCES: We reviewed English
       language articles published between 1969 and 1993, obtained via MEDLINE
       search of the heading delivery, abdominal. Bibliographies of book
       chapters and articles about cerebral palsy and other childhood
       neurologic disorders were also searched. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: We
       sought articles that dealt with vaginal versus cesarean delivery and the
       following outcomes: cerebral palsy, abnormal neurologic development,
       neonatal seizures, and neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage. Ten
       relevant studies were identified, only four of which were prospective,
       and only one of which (involving breech births) was a randomized trial.
       DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: No study found a significant difference
       in the rates of cerebral palsy, abnormal neurologic development, and
       neonatal seizures between those children born vaginally or by cesarean.
       The severity of handicap of infants born with myelomeningocele was less
       in those delivered via cesarean. Infants born by cesarean had a
       decreased risk for developing neonatal brachial plexus palsy. Cesarean
       delivery of mothers with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or with
       genital lesions and no history of herpes may benefit the infant.
       CONCLUSIONS: Cesarean delivery can reduce the risk of adverse childhood
       neurologic outcome for those born with myelomeningocele, and may reduce
       the rate of brachial plexus palsies and neonatal herpes and HIV
       infections. However, children born by cesarean have no documented
       reduced risk of other childhood neurologic problems or cerebral palsy.
 DE    Cerebral Palsy/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*PREVENTION & CONTROL  *Cesarean Section
       Comparative Study  Female  Human  Infant, Newborn  Nervous System
       Diseases/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*PREVENTION & CONTROL  Pregnancy  JOURNAL ARTICLE
       REVIEW  REVIEW LITERATURE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).