Blood loss after cesarean delivery: a registry-based study in Norway, 1999-2008.

Abstract

The objective of the study was to assess risk factors for moderate and severe blood loss after cesarean delivery (CD). All planned (n = 32,716) and emergency (n = 47,942) cesareans, as reported over a 10-year period to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway, were analyzed separately in a case-control design. Women with moderate (500 to ≤1500 mL) or severe (>1500 mL) blood loss were analyzed with women with blood loss less than 500 mL as controls in SPSS (version 17.0) with χ(2) test and logistic regression. The prevalence of severe blood loss was consistently higher in emergency (3.2%) than planned CD (1.9%). Planned and emergency CDs share common risk factors for both moderate and severe blood loss, whereas emergency CD carries in addition delivery-related risk factors. When revising management schemes for CD, anesthetic procedures should be reconsidered as surgical competence in cases with placenta previa, placental abruption, and low hemoglobin.