Mode of Birth and Infant Outcomes: A Review of Literature

Mode of birth (MOB), differentiated as either spontaneous vaginal, instrument vaginal, or cesarean (emergency or planned), has the potential to have lasting repercussions for the infant, as well as the mother – which then can also affect the newborn. A woman’s postpartum lack of mobility (as in the case of cesarean birth, or epidural usage) and/or pain can affect her ability to care for her infant, which in turn may risk not meeting the physical (specifically, nutrition and hygiene) or emotional needs of her baby. For the neonate, normal adaptation includes respiratory, circulatory, thermoregulatory and metabolic changes. In an otherwise healthy pregnancy, the addition of labor interventions can increase the risk of a difficult transition to extra uterine life for the newborn [1, 2]. Cesarean births are now approximately 32% of all births in the United States [3]. This rise does not appear to be related to an increase in pregnancy risk factors [4].