ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the maternal and neonatal consequences of scheduling elective repeated cesarean section (ERCS) at 39 weeks rather than 38 weeks and to assess the impacts of delivering by emergency cesarean section (CS) before the planned date. DESIGN: Retrospective Cohort study. POPULATION: Patients with previous two or more CS planned for ERCS at term during the period from January to June 2011. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed for demographic and clinical data, planned timing of CS, emergency cesarean and any adverse maternal or neonatal outcome. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Adverse maternal or neonatal outcome. RESULTS: Four hundred and twenty women were included, 71.4% of cases were posted <39 weeks and 28.6% were posted at ≥39 weeks. Patients posted ≥ 39 weeks were more prone to deliver by emergency CS (16.6 vs. 10.6%) and the neonates were less prone to RDS and NICU admission (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our data support the justification to book patients for ERCS at ≥39 weeks.
