Association of patient and clinical characteristics with cesarean delivery operating times at a Texas level IV maternal center: a single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND

The primary aim of our study was to identify patient and clinical characteristics associated with longer cesarean delivery operative time at our hospital.

METHODS

Our institutional review board approved this study and waived the requirement for informed consent. Patients who had cesarean deliveries from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Temple were eligible for inclusion. Patients who were Black, Hispanic, or Caucasian were divided into shortest and longest quartiles of operative time. A bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed between the short and long operative time cohorts to determine which characteristics were independently associated with a longer operative time.

RESULTS

There were 231 and 220 patients in the short and long cohorts, respectively. Medicaid vs commercial insurance (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00-2.45; P = 0.049), a five-unit increase in body mass index (aOR 1.64; 95% CI 1.38-1.95; P < 0.001), and performing a sterilization procedure (aOR 3.20; 95% CI 1.80-5.70; P < 0.001) were independently associated with the long cohort.

DISCUSSION: Medicaid insurance, body mass index, and performing a sterilization procedure were associated with a 57%, 64%, and 220% increase, respectively, of being in the longer operative cohort.