Blood loss and risk of blood transfusion in patients undergoing caesarean section

Abstract

Background: Caesarean delivery is one of the most common operations performed worldwide. Maternal morbidity and risk of blood transfusion increased greatly with caesarean compared with that of vaginal delivery. Aims: This study was carried out to evaluate blood loss and requirement of blood transfusion in patients undergoing caesarean section. Materials and methods: A prospective observational study was carried out in a peripheral military hospital, India where 173 women underwent caesarean section and data were obtained on age, parity, gestational age, delivery type (elective/ emergency), indication for caesarean section, pre operative and post operative haemoglobin levels. Number of patients required blood transfusion were also noted. Results: There was no significant increase in blood loss by indication of caesarean section (p<0.05). A total of 1.7% patients received blood transfusion. Conclusion: Transfusion risk in patients undergoing caesarean section is low and haemoglobin testing after caesarean section should be limited to women at high risk of blood transfusion.