Association Between Maternal Obesity and Cesarean Delivery Complications

Background Several studies suggest that maternal obesity might be associated with intraoperative and postoperative complications of cesarean delivery. However, these results are not validated in the Pakistani population. Aim We aimed to assess the association between maternal obesity and intraoperative and postoperative complications of cesarean delivery. Methods We performed a retrospective observational study recording the prevalence of intraoperative and postoperative complications in women undergoing cesarean delivery. For all consecutive cesarean deliveries in Fehmida Sarfaraz hospital, Sialkot, Pakistan, we recorded the data of the maternal age, weight, body mass index (BMI), gestational age at delivery, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and the adverse pregnancy outcomes. We used the chi-square test, Spearman correlation, and linear regression to test the relationship between the study variables. Results We included 245 women in this study (non-obese group: n = 83; obese group: n = 162). BMI positively correlated with the incidence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT; r = 0.249), endometritis (r = 0.148), pyrexia (r=0.139), and wound infections (r = 0.155). Also, BMI could significantly predict DVT (Beta coefficient 2.886, P = 0.003), hospital stay (Beta coefficient 0.801, P = 0.001), pyrexia (Beta coefficient 0.819, P = 0.003), and wound infection (Beta coefficient 0.449, P = 0.049). Conclusion Our data suggest that BMI was significantly correlated with several cesarean section (CS) delivery complications. Obese women undergoing CS delivery are at higher risk of several CS delivery complications. Also, they had a longer hospital stay and higher birth weight for their neonates compared with non-obese women. Future multicentre studies are needed in our population to determine the magnitude of risk across different BMI subgroups.