Risk Of Emergency Caesarean Section Research Articles

Maternal height as a risk factor for Caesarean section due to failure to progress in labour.

We examined for a regional sample of the New Zealand population, the relationship between maternal height and an increased risk of emergency Caesarean section due to arrested labour, to identify a height below which the risk of Caesarean section increases markedly and to quantify the risk of a Caesarean section for a range of maternal heights. The data of nulliparous singleton pregnancies over the period 1994-1998 was sorted into 2 study groups, one resulting in emergency Caesarean section for arrested labour and the other a group of women who had normal vaginal delivery requiring no intervention. The means and standard deviations of these 2 groups were found and 99% confidence intervals calculated. They were analysed for statistical difference and then a logistical regression calculation tried to identify a height at which the risk of a Caesarean section increased suddenly. There were 81 women in the Caesarean section group and 997 in the normal vaginal delivery group. Mean heights and confidence intervals were 161.0 cm (158.9-163.1) and 164.6 cm (164.0-165.2) respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between these means (p<0.001) but logistic regression analysis showed that risk of Caesarean section increased gradually with decreasing height, and even then did not reach more than 30% risk until a height of less than 140 cm. Low maternal height was associated with increased risk of Caesarean section due to labour arrest. Because the likelihood of having a normal vaginal delivery was still very good (>80 %) at modest degrees of short stature, this risk factor alone is unlikely to affect management. However the combination of other risk factors with maternal height may be of clinical use.

Fear of childbirth during pregnancy may increase the risk of emergency cesarean section

The purpose of our study was to elucidate the association between fear of childbirth, general anxiety, and stress coping during the third trimester of pregnancy, and a subsequent delivery by emergency cesarean section. In a case-control study, 1,981 Swedish-speaking women completed three self-assessment questionnaires at 32 weeks' gestation. Ninety-seven of these women were delivered by emergency cesarean section. Fear of childbirth, general anxiety and the stress coping ability of these 97 cases were compared with the same features in 194 controls, matched for age and parity. Women, subsequently delivered by emergency cesarean section, reported a greater anxiety and a poorer stress coping ability, and, most obviously, a greater fear of childbirth at 32 weeks' gestation. After elimination of possible confounders, the odds ratio for emergency cesarean section was examined for women whose scores were above various cut-off points according to the fear of childbirth measuring instrument. For women with a serious fear of childbirth the odds ratio was 3.0 (95% confidence interval 1.4 to 6.6), and the population attributable risk 0.167. Fear of childbirth during the third trimester of pregnancy may increase the risk of subsequent emergency cesarean section.

Fear of childbirth during pregnancy may increase the risk of emergency cesarean section

Fear of childbirth during pregnancy may increase the risk of emergency cesarean section

Massive maternal obesity and perioperative cesarean morbidity

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the impact of massive maternal obesity (weight >300 pounds) on perioperative morbidity among patients undergoing cesarean section. STUDY DESIGN: A case-control study was conducted on 43 massively obese pregnant women, identified by perinatal database search, who were delivered by cesarean section between Jan. 1, 1987, and Dec. 31, 1991, at Long Beach Memorial Women's Hospital. Forty-three randomly selected patients who underwent cesarean delivery served as the control group. Medical records were abstracted for perioperative variables and compared between groups. Student t test, χ2, and Fisher's exact statistical analysis were used where appropriate. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between groups for maternal age, parity, use of prophylactic antibiotics, length of recovery room stay, or wound dehiscence. The massively obese group was observed to be at significantly increased risk for emergency cesarean section (32.6% vs 9.3%, p = 0.02), prolonged delivery interval (25.6% vs 4.6%, p = 0.01), and total operative time (48.8% vs 9.3%, p < 0.0001), blood loss >1000 ml (34.9% vs 9.3%, p = 0.009), multiple epidural placement failures (14.0% vs 0%, p = 0.02), postoperative endometritis (32.6% vs 4.9%, p = 0.002), and prolonged hospitalization (34.9% vs 2.3%, p = 0.0003). CONCLUSION: Massively obese pregnant women undergoing cesarean section are at significantly increased risk for perioperative morbidity. (AM J OBSTET GYNECOL 1994;170:560-5.)