[Early and late morbidity of underweight (LBW) newborn infants following breech presentation in relation to the mode of delivery].

The influence of type of delivery on neonatal mortality, frequency of disturbances in adaptation to extrauterine life, and incidence of deviations in psychomotoric development was examined retrospectively in 126 low birthweight infants born in breech presentation. 65 infants were born by cesarean section, 61 by vaginal delivery. The control group involves 270 low birthweight infants born spontaneously in vertex presentation. In the weight categories of 1500 to 2500 g neonatal mortality, frequency of pathologic Apgar-scores, acidosis morbidity, incidence of severe respiratory distress, and percentage of psychomotoric handicaps were found to be lower in infants born by cesarean section compared to vaginally born newborns. However, only some of the differences between both groups were statistically significant. In newborn infants weighing less than 1500 g at birth an improved outcome after abdominal delivery could not be demonstrated.