Oxygen Saturation Levels in Normal Healthy Term Neonates: Normal Vaginal Birth vs. Elective Cesarean Delivery

Abstract

Background: Annually all over the globe, ranging from 5% to10% of neonates need medical resuscitative efforts. Recently, there is solid clinical evidence that pointless oxygen therapy during the beginning of the process of resuscitation could have negative impact due to oxygen free radicals causing pathophysiological pathways development in neonates causing various diseases. Aim of the Work: to compare the oxygen saturation levels between neonates delivered by normal vaginal delivery and cesarean section at full term. Patients and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, prospective, observational research study. The research was conducted at Ain Shams Maternity Hospital and included 200 healthy term newborns born by normal vaginal delivery and elective cesarean section at a tertiary care centre. Results: In the current research SpO2 was statistically significantly higher among VD research group than among CS research group at different times (5 min, 10min, 15min, 20min, 25min, 30min, p values =0.001, <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, consecutively). There was a statistically significant positive correlations between APGAR scores and SpO2 among the studied groups at minutes 5 & 10 (p values <0.001). Conclusion: The oxygen saturation levels is a crucial issue in neonates born by either CS or normal vaginal delivery and according to the current research findings and in harmony with previous research studies it have higher levels in neonates delivered vaginally.