Neonatal and Prospective Follow-Up Study of Infants Delivered by Vacuum Extraction (VE)

Abstract

Infants [40] delivered by vacuum extraction were studied in the neonatal period: neurological examination, neonatal CSF[cerebrospinal fluid]-examinations, skull X-ray, transillumination and sonoencephalography -and at 14 mo. of age-developmental and behavioral evaluation, neurological examination, skull X-ray, sonoencephalography and EEG. Two infants died in the neonatal period but in both cases a life-threatening situation for the fetus required immediated delivery. CSF cytological signs of hemorrhage were observed in 42% of the 26 fants who had successful lumbar tap, compared to 10% found in normal deliveries. The result of the neonatal neurological study did not differ from that in a control group. The result of the skull X-ray and sonoencephalography were also within normal limits. In the follow-up study, behavioral problems were found in 25%, but otherwise very few abnormalities were found. The deviations found do not presently indicate any later signs of brain lesions. This prospective study has shown that VE-delivery in fullterm babies seem to imply no risk of serious cerebral sequelae. Further follow-up studies at a later age in order to evaluate the incidence of so-called minimal brain damage in VE-delivered children are required.