Long-term neurodevelopmental outcome in children born after vacuum-assisted delivery compared with second-stage caesarean delivery and spontaneous vaginal delivery: a cohort study.

Objective: To evaluate long-term neurodevelopment in children born after low-or mid-station vacuum-assisted delivery (VAD) compared with children delivered by second-stage caesarean delivery (SSCD) or spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD).

Design: Cross-sectional cohort study.

Setting: Two delivery wards, Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden.

Patients: 253 children born by low-station or mid-station VAD, 247 children born after an SVD, and 86 children born via an SSCD accepted to participate.

Interventions: The Five-to-Fifteen questionnaire was used as a validated screening method for neurodevelopmental difficulties, assessed by parents.

Main Outcomes Measures: Results in the Five-to-Fifteen questionnaire. In addition, registered neurodevelopmental ICD-10 diagnoses were collected. Regression analyses estimated associations between delivery modes.

Results: Children born after VAD exhibited an increased rate of long-term neurodevelopmental difficulties in motor skills (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.3 to 3.8) and perception (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.002 to 2.9) compared with SVD. Similar findings were seen in the group delivered with an SSCD compared with SVD (motor skills: OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.8 to 6.4 and perception: OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.4). The increased odds for motor skills difficulties after VAD and SSCD remained after adjusting for proposed confounding variables. There were significantly more children in the VAD group with registered neurodevelopmental ICD-10 diagnoses such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders.

Conclusions: The differences in long-term neurodevelopmental difficulties in children delivered with a VAD or SSCD compared with SVD in this study indicate the need for increased knowledge in the field to optimise the management of second stage of labour.