Long‐term neurological morbidity among children delivered by vacuum extraction ‐ a national cohort study

• Published in: Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica 2023-07, Vol.102 (7), p.843-853
• Main Authors: Ulfsdottir, Hanna, Ekéus, Cecilia, Tedroff, Kristina, Åberg, Katarina, Järnbert‐Pettersson, Hans
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Birth; Cerebral palsy; Cerebral Palsy - epidemiology; Cerebral Palsy - etiology; Cesarean Section; Child; Childbirth & labor; Cohort analysis; Cohort Studies; emergency cesarean section; Epilepsy; Female; Humans; Infant Mortality; Infant, Newborn; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Morbidity; neonatal death; Newborn babies; Original; Perinatal Death - etiology; Pregnancy; spontaneous vaginal birth; vacuum extraction; Vacuum Extraction, Obstetrical - adverse effects; Vagina
• ISSN: 0001-6349; 1600-0412; 1600-0412
• DOI: 10.1111/aogs.14568

Introduction This is the first nationwide cohort study of vacuum extraction (VE) and long‐term neurological morbidity. We hypothesized that VE per se, and not only complicated labor, can cause intracranial bleedings, which could further cause neurological long‐term morbidity. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of neonatal mortality, cerebral palsy (CP), and epilepsy among children delivered by VE in a long‐term perspective. Material and methods The study population included 1 509 589 term singleton children planned for vaginal birth in Sweden (January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2017). We investigated the risk of neonatal death (ND), CP, and epilepsy among children delivered by VE (successful or failed) and compared their risks with those born by spontaneous vaginal birth and emergency cesarean section (ECS). We used logistic regression to study the adjusted associations with each outcome. The follow‐up time was from birth until December 31, 2019. Results The percentage and total number of children with the outcomes were ND (0.04%, n = 616), CP (0.12%, n = 1822), and epilepsy (0.74%, n = 11 190). Compared with children delivered by ECS, those born by VE had no increased risk of ND, but there was an increased risk for those born after failed VE (adj OR 2.23 [1.33–3.72]). The risk of CP was similar among children born by VE and those born spontaneously vaginally. Further, the risk of CP was similar among children born after failed VE compared with ECS. The risk of epilepsy was not increased among children born by VE (successful/failed), compared with those who had spontaneous vaginal birth or ECS. Conclusions The outcomes ND, CP, and epilepsy are rare. In this nationwide cohort study, children born after successful VE had no increased risk of ND, CP or epilepsy compared with those delivered by ECS, but there was an increased risk of ND among those born by failed VE. Concerning the studied outcomes, VE appears to be a safe obstetric intervention; however, it requires a thorough risk assessment and awareness of when to convert to ECS. This national cohort study of 1.5 million children planned for a vaginal birth investigates the risk of neonatal mortality, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy among children delivered by vacuum extraction in a long‐term perspective.Our results indicate that VE is a safe obstetric intervention concerning the studied outcomes, however, it implies a thorough risk assessment.