Impact of Repeat Cesarean Sections on Perinatal Outcomes: Morbidity and Mortality Risk Assessment

Introduction: Cesarean section (C/S) is a common surgical procedure used to deliver a baby when vaginal delivery is not possible or poses risks to the mother or baby. With the rising rates of C/S globally, there is growing concern about the impact of repeat C-sections on perinatal outcomes. Methods: This observational cross-sectional study was conducted Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Chittagong Medical College & Hospital, from December 16-June’17. All the pregnant women who underwent repeat Caesarean section in Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Chittagong during the study period were considered as the study population. A total of 100 study subjects were selected by consecutive convenient sampling techniques. Data analysis was done by SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) 16. In all cases, p-value <05 was considered significant. Result: The results indicate that perinatal morbidity was significantly higher in women with three previous cesarean sections, with increased rates of respiratory distress syndrome (28.6%) and umbilical sepsis (42.9%). In contrast, birth asphyxia (11.6%) and prematurity (8.7%) were more prevalent in women with only one prior C-section. No significant correlation was found between the number of previous cesarean sections and perinatal mortality. Neonatal death rates were higher in women with two previous C-sections (20.8%) compared to those with one (11.6%), but no deaths occurred in those with three prior C-sections. Conclusion: This study concludes that perinatal morbidity increases significantly with a history of more than two cesarean sections, particularly with respiratory distress syndrome and umbilical sepsis. Birth asphyxia and prematurity were more common in those with only one previous C-section. However, no significant association between perinatal mortality and the number of previous C-sections was found.