Ethnic background as a risk factor for permanent brachial plexus birth injury: A population-based study.

Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.

Published: June 2024

Introduction: Brachial plexus birth injury is the most common birth injury causing permanent disability in Finland. This study aimed to assess risk factors of a permanent brachial plexus birth injury and calculate the incidence.

Material And Methods: This is a retrospective population-based study including all deliveries between 2006 and 2022 in Southern Finland. The number of children born, obstetric data, and migrant status were gathered from the registries of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, and Statistics Finland. Race of the mothers of children with a permanent brachial plexus birth injury was recorded. The severity of permanent brachial plexus birth injury was assessed using the 3-month Toronto test score. A lower score was indicative of a more severe injury (scored 0-10).

Results: One hundred of the 298 428 children born during the 17-year study period sustained a permanent brachial plexus birth injury (0.34 per 1000). Mothers of children with a permanent brachial plexus birth injury had a higher body mass index (29 vs. 24 kg/m) and their pregnancies were more often complicated by diabetes (28% vs. 12%), shoulder dystocia (58% vs. 0.3%), and/or assisted deliveries (45% vs. 10%) compared with all other mothers (p < 0.001). Thirty two of the 52 725 children born to migrant mothers had a permanent brachial plexus birth injury (0.61 per 1000). The incidence of permanent brachial plexus birth injury was 5.7 times higher among children of Black migrants from Africa (18/11 738, 1.53 per 1000) compared with children of native mothers (0.27 per 1000). Black mothers had a higher body mass index at the start of pregnancy (29 vs. 26 kg/m, p = 0.02) compared with Caucasians. Children of Black mothers had a more severe injury compared with all others (p = 0.007) with a mean 3-month Toronto test score of 4.2 (range 0.0-6.5, SD ±1.6) vs. 5.6 (range 0.0-9.3, SD ±2.2).

Conclusions: Shoulder dystocia and assisted delivery are the most important risk factors for a permanent brachial plexus birth injury. Black race was associated with a higher rate and a more severe permanent brachial plexus birth injury.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11103133PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14817DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

birth injury
32
brachial plexus
28
plexus birth
28
permanent brachial
24
injury
9
birth
8
population-based study
8
children born
8
mothers children
8
children permanent
8

Similar Publications

Importance: Metformin and glyburide monotherapy are used as alternatives to insulin in managing gestational diabetes. Whether a sequential strategy of these oral agents results in noninferior perinatal outcomes compared with insulin alone is unknown.

Objective: To test whether a treatment strategy of oral glucose-lowering agents is noninferior to insulin for prevention of large-for-gestational-age infants.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Importance: Characterizing hospital-level factors associated with adverse outcomes following operative vaginal delivery (OVD) is crucial for optimizing obstetric care.

Objective: To assess the association between hospital OVD volume and adverse outcomes.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This was a retrospective cohort study of OVDs in California between 2008 and 2020.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: Hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hs-PDA) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants continues to be an issue of research regarding the timing of treatment and which would be the most appropriate drug.

Objective: To assess the outcome of prolonged treatment with paracetamol in the closure of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus in preterm newborns.

Patients And Method: Retrospective study in VLBW infants with echocardiographic and clinical diagnosis of hs-PDA who received treatment with intravenous paracetamol at 15 mg/kg every 6 hours for 6 days.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

To date, uterus transplantation is the only option for women with absolute uterine infertility, such as those with Rokitansky syndrome, to experience pregnancy and give birth. Despite the growing interest in uterus transplantation in recent years, several issues still require further research, including ischemia-reperfusion injury and its impact on graft quality and rejection. Recent literature has highlighted a thrombotic complication rate of up to 20% following uterus transplantation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Preconception obesity is a risk factor for pregnancy and delivery, which is why giving birth in a perinatal center (care levels I and II) is recommended. There are currently no studies which have investigated the birth outcomes of obese patients based on the care level of the maternity hospital. This study aims to assess the effect of a higher body mass index prior to conception on maternal and fetal outcomes in a maternity hospital (care level IV).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!