The Carbon Footprint of a Cesarean Section: A Study on Real‐Time, Prospectively Collected Data of Disposables, Energy, and Reusables

AIM: eq) emissions from disposable products, reusable products, and HVAC energy use. METHODS: eq emissions were estimated using predefined product groups linked to life cycle assessment (LCA) data. HVAC energy use was calculated from procedure time and corresponding LCA data. RESULTS: eq emissions of planned and unplanned (urgency Levels S2 and S3) C-sections were comparable. CONCLUSION: emissions of a C-section are substantial; disposable products were the highest contributors. Emission reduction could be achieved by minimizing unnecessary utilization of disposables, replacing disposables with reusable items, or by reducing the number of C-sections performed.