COMPARISON OF MATERNAL AND FETAL OUTCOMES IN EMERGENCY AND ELECTIVE CESAREAN SECTIONS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

OBJECTIVE: Emergency cesarean section is a high-risk operation which is associated with morbidity and even mortality. This study has been designed to compare elective and emergency cesarean deliveries in aspect of maternal and neonatal outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional review of 1337 women who had a live birth by cesarean section at term during a six-month-long period. Two groups were determined: emergency and elective. Women were compared in terms of age, parity, cesarean indications, cesarean complications, and blood transfusion needs. Newborns were compared in terms of APGAR score at first and fifth minute, birth weights, and neonatal intensive care needs. RESULTS: There were 297 emergency (22.2%) and 1040 planned (77.8%) cesarean sections over the study period. The women who delivered by emergency cesarean section had significantly younger ages and lower gravidity and parity (p=0.001, p=0.023 and p=0.001, respectively). Fetal distress and umbilical cord prolapsus were significantly more frequent, while previous cesarean section and cephalopelvic disproportion were significantly less frequent in women who delivered by emergency cesarean delivery (p=0.001 for all). The need for transfusion, bladder injury, and wound infection was significantly higher in women who underwent emergency cesarean delivery (p=0.001, p=0.001 and p=0.014 respectively). The neonates delivered by emergency cesarean section had significantly lower birth weight and APGAR score at the first minute but a significantly higher need for an intensive care unit (p=0.002, p=0.009 and p=0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Emergency cesareans increase maternal and neonatal complications. That is why , elective cesarean section should be performed as early as possible to avoid the onset of spontaneous labor which would require emergency cesarean delivery.