Preterm birth, which is delivery before 37 weeks of pregnancy, costs the United States more than $26 billion annually, according to the Institute of Medicine.
The researchers reviewed eight years of birth certificate and hospital discharge information for 2,885 preterm babies considered small for gestational age. C-sections are often performed for babies diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction who are not growing adequately in the womb.
The increased odds of respiratory distress was evident not matter the mother's age, ethnicity, education, primary insurance payer, pre-pregnancy weight, gestational age at delivery, diabetes and hypertension.
“Further research is needed to determine the optimal mode of delivery for this population,” Lipkind said in a statement.