Birth Trauma: Incidence and Associated Risk Factors: A Case–Control Study

Abstract

Obstetric trauma refers to injuries that occur to the newborn during the birth process and can occur despite proper perinatal care. Limiting risk factors could reduce its incidence and avoid significant morbidity and mortality to the infant. The aim of our study was to determine the incidence of birth injury in our setting and to discover its associated risks factors. For this case–control study, all births that took place in our center during the year 2021 were systematically reviewed. A total of 231 full-term newborns, with 77 cases and 154 controls, were included. For each case, two controls of similar sex and gestational age, born during the same shift before and after the case were selected. Preterm infants, outborn patients, twins, and infants with major congenital anomalies were excluded. The incidence of birth injury was 22.8‰ of singleton births. The most frequent injuries were cephalohematoma, peripheral facial paralysis, and clavicle fracture. After the adjusted logistic regression analysis, the variables that were independently associated with obstetric trauma were (aOR; 95% CI) breech presentation: 10.6 (1.2, 92.6), p = 0.032; dystocia: 7.8 (3.8, 16.2), p < 0.001; forceps instrumentation: 3.1 (1.0, 9.1), p = 0.043; induced labor: 3.0 (1.6, 5.5), p < 0.001; and newborn birthweight (per each 100 g): 1.1 (1.0, 1.2), p = 0.004. In conclusion, the incidence of birth trauma in our setting was 22.8‰ of singletons. The most frequent injuries were cephalohematoma, peripheral facial paralysis, and clavicle fracture. There was an independent association between birth trauma and breech presentation, dystocia, forceps instrumentation, labor induction, and infant birthweight.