[Critical analysis of a high percentage of caesarean section, particularly with regard to infantile morbidity (author's transl)].

Unlabelled: In 354 Caesarean section deliveries during 1972 to 1974 the data of history, course of pregnancy, delivery and postoperative period including cardiotocography before and during birth and the condition of the newborn up to the 7th day were analyzed with a computer.

Results: In two thirds of the cases three or more risks determined the indication for Caesarean section. Identical combinations of risks were rare. After section the infantile morbidity is higher than after spontaneous delivery. Classification of Caesarean sections according to indication: preventive without fetal distress, with signs of chronic, subacute or acute fetal distress or emergency operation, showed the following distribution: Infantile morbidity is highest after emergency operations, less so in preventive operations with fetal distress, chronic, subacute or acute (38% of all sections). Where there was no fetal distress (62% of all sections), infantile morbidity is the same as after spontaneous delivery. A high percentage of the group with fetal distress and high infantile morbidity shows an increase in pre-or intrapartal risks and prepartal pathologic FHF changes. A reduction in the number of Caesarean sections would be possible only in the group without signs of fetal distress provided that this would not lead to a considerable increase in Caesarean section for fetal distress and infantile morbidity.