Peritoneal adhesions during cesarean delivery are an independent risk factor for peri-partum hemorrhagic complications.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether the presence of peritoneal adhesions at the second cesarean delivery (CD) are associated with peri-partum hemorrhagic complications.

STUDY

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study was undertaken, comparing hemorrhagic complications in the second CD, between women with and without adhesions. All women with two CDs who delivered a singleton in their second CD between the years 1988-2016 at a large regional medical center in Israel were included. Women with adhesions diagnosed at the first CD and women with a history of other abdominal or pelvic surgery, pelvic infection or inflammatory disease, endometriosis, uterine Mullerian anomalies and fetal chromosomal or structural abnormalities were excluded from the analysis, resulting in a sample of 7925 women. Peri-partum hemorrhagic complications were defined as a composite of vessel ligation, B lynch procedure during the CD or uterine rupture, third stage or immediate postpartum hemorrhage, blood component transfusion, hemorrhagic shock and maternal anemia [hemoglobin (Hb) levels prior to maternal discharge below 9.0 g\dl]. In order to identify variables that are independently associated with the composite peri-partum hemorrhagic complications a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed, to control for potential confounders. In addition, a linear regression model was constructed with Hb levels as the outcome variable.

RESULTS

During the study period, 32.6 % of patients (n = 2581) suffered from adhesions during the second CD. After adjusting for potential confounders, peri-partum hemorrhagic complications were found to be significantly associated with the presence of peritoneal adhesions (adjusted OR 1.18, CI 1.04-1.33, P = 0.008). A multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that peritoneal adhesions were independently associated with a decline in post-partum Hb levels (β=-0.055, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Adhesions attributable to a previous CD increase the risk for hemorrhagic complications. Interventions aimed at preventing adhesions formation during the primary CD may have a role in reducing hemorrhagic complications in subsequent CDs.