Perioperative anxiety and length of hospital stay after caesarean section - A cohort study

The caesarean section is one of the most frequently performed surgeries. Due to growing economic challenges, hospitals are encouraged to improve their cost-efficiency. One factor that influences hospital costs of caesarean sections is a prolonged hospital stay.

The aim of the current prospective study was to investigate psychosocial factors, with an emphasis on anxiety, and sociodemographic factors that are associated with longer hospital stay after caesarean sections with no medical complications. Data of 195 women who gave birth by caesarean section was analyzed. As possible predictors anxiety levels measured pre-, peri- and postoperative as well as age, parity (primiparous/multiparous), repeated caesarean (yes/no), BMI (<30/ ≥30), STAI-Trait scores, duration of surgery, PH arterial and Apgar 5 min. were entered into a backward linear regression with duration of hospital stay as the dependent factor.

The analysis revealed that higher age, primiparity as well as higher anxiety scores during the postoperative phase are significant factors associated with prolonged hospital stay. The significant model explains 22.1 % of the variance.

The results should sensitize the medical team to these risk factors in order to improve patients' recovery and shorten hospital stays.