Planned caesarean section increases the risk of maternal and neonatal mortality in the event of cephalic presentation

The planned caesareans are associated with an increased risk of neonatal and maternal morbidity and mortality risk, especially when the fetus is in the head, according to a study in Latin America under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Cesareans comfort have boomed in recent years but the rate of caesarean sections in some countries has become so high that the efforts are made to reduce this practice, especially as several studies have highlighted a number of risks .

José Villar, University of Oxford and his colleagues, as part of the investigation of the 2005 World WHO maternal and perinatal health, conducted a prospective cohort study in 410 health centers in eight countries in Latin America randomly selected 120 of these centers, also randomly selected, participated.

They reported 106,546 deliveries during the three months of the study, data were available for 97,095 deliveries.

Cesarean delivery was associated with a doubling of the risk of severe maternal morbidity and mortality compared to vaginal, cesarean section that is made or emergency has been programmed, compared to a vaginal delivery.

Caesarean section had a significant protective effect against fetal death if breech presentation, the risk is reduced by 73% with a scheduled and 80% with emergency Caesarean section caesarean section. If cephalic presentation, decreased risk was "marginally significant."

Cephalic presentation, planned caesarean section or not doubled the risk of a period of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit of seven days or more has increased by between 1.7 and 1.9 the risk of neonatal mortality during hospitalization even after excluding caesarean section for fetal distress indicated, whereas in the case of breech presentation, these risks were not increased.

The authors conclude that the net benefit of using extended cesarean section for the mother and the newborn remains to be seen, except in the case of breech presentation, especially as cesarean deliveries are more expensive.