Maternal and infant characteristics by group
| Normal vaginal delivery (n=88) | Caesarean section (n=97) | |
|---|---|---|
| Unless otherwise indicated, values are mean (SE). | ||
| *p<0.001. | ||
| Maternal age (years) | 29.3 (0.63) | 30.1 (0.57) |
| Parity | ||
| Primiparous | 18 (20.5%) | 52 (53.6%)* |
| Multiparous | 70 (79.5%) | 45 (46.4%)* |
| Breast feeding experience | ||
| Yes | 66 (75%) | 42 (43.3%)* |
| No | 22 (25%) | 55 (56.7%)* |
| Smoking status | ||
| Yes | 12 (13.6%) | 20 (20.5%) |
| No | 76 (86.4%) | 77 (79.5%) |
| Maternal education | ||
| Secondary school | 55 (62.5%) | 49 (50.5%) |
| Metric | 8 (9.1%) | 11 (11.4%) |
| Certificate/diploma | 10 (11.4%) | 17 (17.5%) |
| Tertiary | 15 (17%) | 20 (20.6%) |
| Maternal occupation | ||
| Unskilled | 35 (39.8%) | 46 (47.4%) |
| Skilled | 49 (55.7%) | 46 (47.4%) |
| Management/professional | 4 (4.5%) | 5 (5.2%) |
| Infant birth weight (g) | 3544 (40) | 3491 (50) |
| Sex | ||
| Male | 53 (60.2%) | 51 (52.6%) |
| Female | 35 (39.8%) | 46 (47.4%) |
| Apgar scores | ||
| 1 minute | 8.3 (0.14) | 7.9 (0.16) |
| 5 minutes | 9.2 (0.07) | 9.2 (0.07) |
| First breast feed | ||
| <1 h | 57 (64.8%) | 18 (18.6%)* |
| 1–<4 h | 29 (32.9%) | 53 (54.6%)* |
| >4 h | 2 (2.3%) | 26 (26.8%)* |