In the planned vaginal delivery group, the number of successful
vaginal deliveries was higher among multiparous versus nulliparous women (98/137 vs 87/152, p = 0.01).
82/568 (14%) infants had birth-weight ≥ 4000 g. Of these,
vaginal delivery was planned in 40%, but only 15 infants
were delivered by this method (weight range 4012 g –
4790 g). 2/15 had Apgar score < 7 after five minutes, but
none were transferred to NICU. Fifteen percent (83/568)
of the women had an undiagnosed breech presentation
at birth, and of these 51 women (61%) delivered vaginally.
Of those with vaginal delivery, an episiotomy
was applied in 54%, and a third degree anal sphincter
rupture was reported in 2% (Table 1). Of the maternal
postoperative complications analyzed, mean blood loss
was the only variable that was significantly higher in
the cesarean section group versus in the vaginal delivery
group (435 ml, SD 317 ml versus 359 ml, SD
231 ml) (p < 0.001). Four women had blood loss >
1500 ml in the planned vaginal group, compared to
five in the planned cesarean section group. Table 3
reports management during labor and delivery for
vaginal births.