CLINICAL, PARACLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND TREATMENT OUTCOMES OF NEONATAL RESPIRATORY DISTRESS FOLLOWING CESAREAN DELIVERY
Keywords:
Neonatal respiratory distress, Cesarean section, non-invasive respiratory supportAbstract
Background and Objectives: Respiratory distress (RD) is a common syndrome in neonates, particularly in the first days of life, reflecting incomplete adaptation to the extrauterine environment. Infants delivered by cesarean section, especially elective procedures, have a higher risk of respiratory morbidity. This study aimed to describe the clinical and paraclinical characteristics, treatment outcomes, and factors associated with disease severity and timing of RD onset in cesarean-delivered neonates at An Sinh Hospital. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 49 neonates with RD among 1,088 cesarean deliveries. Results: RD predominantly occurred in infants delivered before 39 weeks of gestation. The most common clinical signs were tachypnea and chest retractions. The leading causes were transient tachypnea of the newborn (49%) and pneumonia (42.9%). A low 1-minute APGAR score and emergency cesarean section were significantly associated with early onset RD (p<0.05). Most infants were in a compensated state, exhibiting increased work of breathing to maintain oxygen saturation, making NCPAP an effective respiratory support modality. The overall treatment success rate was 95.9%, with a low complication rate (6%). Conclusion: Elective cesarean section should be delayed until at least 39 weeks of gestation to reduce the risk of RD. Transient tachypnea of the newborn and pneumonia are the most common causes of RD in cesarean-delivered infants, particularly in early-term and late preterm groups. Individualized non-invasive respiratory support combined with close clinical monitoring may optimize treatment outcomes.
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