C-section complications on the rise

Bethesda, United States, January 22: The rate of atypical but severe complications in mothers arising out of cesarean deliveries has gone up from 1998 till 2005, suggests a new study. Prior to this, many studies have been conducted on the impact of C-section on newborns.

In this study, the government researchers looked at the rate of severe complications in women who gave birth to a child in 1998-99 and in 2004-05. Results of the study revealed that the need for blood transfusions witnessed the biggest jump with an increase of 92 percent. Similarly, the need for pulmonarydefine embolism increased 52 percent during the study epoch.

Study co-author Dr. Susan Meikle, a medical officer at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Bethesda said, "Pulmonary embolism is a complication associated with any type of surgery, and it's a high contributor to maternal mortality."

Overall, rate of problems such as blood clots, severe breathing difficulty, distress, kidney malfunctioning increased from 0.64 percent in 1998-99 to 0.81 percent in 2004-05.

Meikle added, "Our overall result was that morbidity rates for severe problems are low, but it's devastating when a mother has severe morbidity, and we did find that the trends were increasing."

The study could not establish a correlation between the increase in severe complications and rising maternal age. The researchers attributed the complications, such as the need for a blood transfusion, blood clots and shock to the ever increasing number of Caesarean deliveries being done.

Dr. Robert Welch, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Providence Hospital in Southfield termed the study as interesting. He however stated that the study is not that comprehensive, as it does not distinguish between an elective Caesarian and a compulsive one.

He explained that the C-section is a major abdominal operation and thus the risks involved in it are plentiful. He urged the hospitals "to be prepared to deal with severe complications" in case of such operations.

The results of the study have been published in the February issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.