Gravid status is not associated with postoperative nausea and vomiting: a matched case-control study

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine
• Obstetrics and Gynecology

Background:

• Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a frequent complication following general anesthesia.
• Existing research often examines PONV in pregnant and non-pregnant individuals separately, with limited comparative data.
• Pregnancy as a risk factor for PONV and its management remains under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the incidence of PONV in gravid (pregnant) versus non-gravid women undergoing non-obstetric surgery.
• To investigate whether pregnancy status influences the risk of developing PONV.
• To identify potential differences in PONV prophylaxis and treatment between the two groups.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective case-control cohort study design was employed.
• 237 gravid women were matched 1:2 with 474 non-gravid women based on age, surgical year, and procedure.
• Data abstracted from electronic medical records included risk factors, antiemetic use, PONV occurrence, and hospitalization details. Logistic and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used.

Main Results:

• The incidence of PONV was 21.5% in gravid women and 15.2% in non-gravid women.
• No statistically significant association was found between gravid status and the risk of PONV (aOR 1.35, P=0.222).
• Gravid women received fewer prophylactic antiemetics (median 2 vs. 3) and had longer hospital stays, despite shorter surgical times.

Conclusions:

• Gravid and non-gravid women exhibit similar risks for PONV when undergoing non-obstetric procedures.
• Anesthesiologists appear to administer fewer prophylactic antiemetics to pregnant women.
• Further research may be warranted to optimize PONV management in pregnant patients.