PURPOSE: to compare maternal morbidity, neonatal results and some clinical and epidemiological characteristics among primiparous women who had one previous cesarean section, according to the performance of elective cesarean (EC) section or trial of labor (TL) during the second delivery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: this is a retrospective cross-sectional study on the second delivery of women who previously had a cesarean section and were assisted at the Center for Integral Assistance to Women's Health (CAISM/UNICAMP), from 1986 to 1998. Data were collected from 2068 clinical records corresponding to 322 cases of EC and 1746 of TL. Data analysis was performed through percentage distribution of the EC and TL cases and also the distribution of variables between these two groups, using the chi2, chi2 for trend and Fisher exact tests to evaluate the statistical difference, with a significance level of 95%. RESULTS: the indication of EC decreased progressively with time, from 22.6% in 1986 to 5% in 1998. Maternal morbity was similar and low in both groups (1.24% and 1.21%). There was no significant difference between groups regarding Apgar score and stillbirths, but there was a significantly higher proportion of premature newborns and with birth weight below 2.500 g and above 4.000 g in the group who underwent EC. The prevalence of EC was significantly higher in women 35 or more years old, with previous or current history of hypertensive disorder, diabetes or with a first dead child, as well as with changes in the volume of amniotic fluid. CONCLUSIONS: performing TL progressively increased during this period of thirteen years, without any increase of maternal and/or neonatal morbidity. The indication for EC followed medical criteria related to unfavorable maternal and/or fetal clinical conditions for vaginal delivery.
Cesarean section; Labor; Delivery
