Impact of severe intra-abdominal adhesions on early maternal complications following cesarean delivery

Objective: The rising rates of cesarean delivery (CD), which are a leading cause of intra-abdominal adhesions, represent a major concern for maternal health. We aimed to describe early maternal complications following CD in women with severe intra-abdominal adhesions. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted at a university-affiliated tertiary medical center (January 2021 and March 2023) in Israel. Women who underwent CD were assessed for intra-abdominal adhesions by questionnaires completed by the surgeons. Adhesions were evaluated at four anatomical sites: abdomen-to-uterus, uterus-to-bladder, skin-to-fascia, and other intra-abdominal sites. Each site was scored on a scale of 0-2, with a total score ranging from 0 to 8. Severe adhesions were defined as a total score >= 5. The primary outcome measures were a composite complication which included at least one or more of postoperative need for blood or iron products, fever, prolonged hospitalization, re-hospitalization, and emergency room visits. Results: Overall, 2797 women were included in the study, of whom 295 (10.6%) exhibited severe adhesions. Women with severe adhesions had a higher composite risk for maternal complications following CD (RR = 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.45, P < 0.001), specifically, postoperative need for blood or iron products (RR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.15-2.55, P = 0.007) and prolonged hospitalization (RR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.10-2.03, P = 0.009). There were no significant group differences in the rates of postoperative fever, re-hospitalization or emergency room visits. In multivariate analysis, severe adhesions had an independent impact on maternal complications (CI: 1.06-1.95, P value 0.017). Conclusion: Severe intra-abdominal adhesions diagnosed in CD had an impact on early maternal complications.