Abstract
Objective: To analyze the results of assisted vaginal deliveries at the Motol University Hospital for the period 2007-2011. Type of study: A retrospective analysis Material and Methods: Analysis of 341 vaginal assisted deliveries - frequency of individual instrument use, indications for assisted vaginal deliveries, maternal and neonatal complications.
Results: During the given time period the frequency of assisted vaginal deliveries increased from 0,81 % to 3,55 %. This increasing trend was mainly due to the increasing frequency of vacuum extractor (VEX) use.
The first vacuum assisted vaginal delivery at our hospital was recorded in 2007. In 2011 this method already accounted for 92 % of all assisted vaginal deliveries (an increase from 0 % to 3,27 %; the frequency of forceps deliveries decreased from 0,81 % to 0,28 %).
Over the years, indications for the use of instruments have also changed. Main indication for forceps delivery used to be hypoxia, but in 2011, with increasing popularity of vacuum extractions, it accounted only for 50 % of indications for its use.
Frequency of maternal and neonatal injuries was lower when using vacuum extractor, newborn cephalhaematoma was recorded in 7 % when vacuum extractor was used and 13 % when forceps was used. Conclusion: During the given time period there was an overall increase of assisted vaginal deliveries at our department, mainly because of the vacuum extractor use.
According to our data, vacuum extraction is associated with lower maternal and neonatal morbidity. Neonatal results of both methods are comparable, but slightly in favour of vacuum extraction, except cases of its unsuccessful application.