Identification of pregnancies at increased risk of brachial plexus birth palsy – the construction of a weighted risk score. (February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lindqvist, Pelle G.; Ajne, Gunilla; Cooray, Charith; Erichs, Kristina; Gudmundsson, Saemundur; Dahlin, Lars B.
• Is Part Of: Journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine. Volume 27:Number 3(2014:Mar.)
• Page Start: 252
• Page End: 256
• Publication Date: 2014-02
• Subjects: Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Perinatology -- Periodicals; Infants (Newborn) -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Neonatology -- Periodicals; 618.2
• DOI: 10.3109/14767058.2013.809415
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1476-7058

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: Since it is difficult to identify women at increased risk of fetal brachial plexus birth palsy (BPBP) during labor and delivery, we aimed to construct and validate a risk score.</p> <p> <italic>Methods</italic>: A retrospective case-control study was undertaken in 2001 and 2006 in an urban context in Malmö, Sweden. A risk score was constructed for all women who had received routine municipal maternal health care at Skåne University Hospital (<italic>n</italic> = 10 459). The model was validated among all pregnant women with BPBP and controls in Sweden between 2006 and 2007.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: The likelihood of BPBP increased as the risk score rose: 3.1% of the women studied had a risk score ≥5, including 32.1% of the BPBP cases, where the risk showed a 38-fold increase, as compared to those with a risk score ≤1 (2/3 of the population).</p> <p> <italic>Conclusion</italic>: Our findings indicate that it is possible to identify women at increased risk of having a child with BPBP by using variables observable in advance of delivery.</p> </abstract>