BACKGROUND: Unnecessary caesarean births may be affected by physician factors, such as preferences, incentives and convenience. Delivery during office hours can be a valuable proxy for measuring such effects.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of office hours on the decision for caesarean delivery by assessing the odds of caesarean during office hours compared to out-of-office hours.
METHODS: We searched CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov , The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science from the beginning of records through August 2021.
METHODS: Search results were screened by three researchers. First, we selected studies that reported odds ratios of caesareans, or data allowing their calculation, for office and out-of-office hours. We extracted data on the study population, study design, data sources, setting, type of caesarean section, statistical analysis, and outcome measures. For groups reporting the same outcome, we performed a standard inverse-variance random-effects meta-analysis, which enabled us to calculate the overall odds ratios for each group. For groups reporting varying outcomes, we performed descriptive analysis.
RESULTS: Meta-analysis of weekday vs weekend for any caesarean section showed higher odds of caesarean during weekdays in adjusted analysis 1.40 (95%CI 1.13, 1.72 from 1,952,691 births). A similar effect was observed in the weekday vs Sunday comparison (1.39, 95%CI 1.10, 1.75, 150,932 births). A lower effect was observed for emergency CS, with a slight increase in adjusted analysis (1.06, 95%CI 0.90, 1.26, 2,622,772 births) and a slightly higher increase in unadjusted analysis (1.15, 95%CI 1.03, 1.29, 12,591,485 births). Similar trends were observed in subgroup analyses and descriptive synthesis of studies examining other office hours outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS: Delivery during office hours is associated with higher odds for overall caesarean sections and little to no effect for emergency caesarean. Non-clinical factors associated with office hours may influence the decision to deliver by caesarean section. Further detailed investigation of the \"office hours effect\" in delivery care is necessary and could lead to improvements in care systems.
BACKGROUND: The authors received no direct funding for this study.

UNASSIGNED: Nonspecific presentations during pregnancy can mask early signs and symptoms of upper abdominal tumours, making the preoperative diagnosis of upper abdominal tumours difficult. Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas (SPN) is a rare exocrine tumour of the pancreas, and SPN in combination with preeclampsia during pregnancy is even rarer.
METHODS: In this paper, we report a case of SPN combined with preeclampsia during pregnancy and sudden rupture of a giant retroperitoneal SPN during a caesarean section, which resulted in life-threatening intra-abdominal haemorrhage. After exclusion of obstetric factors, a rapid response team was activated, multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) was carried out, and the patient was treated promptly and appropriately by resection of the giant retroperitoneal tumour, partial resection of the body and tail of the pancreas, and abdominal drainage.
UNASSIGNED: To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of SPN combined with preeclampsia during pregnancy, and a rapid and timely MDT could have ensured the patient\'s life.
CONCLUSIONS: When dealing with a pregnant woman with an acute abdomen, the obstetrician should communicate fully with the woman to ensure that the most likely diagnosis is obtained. In the event of an unexpected accident during a caesarean section, it is important to remain calm, activate the Rapid Response Team and seek an MDT to ensure the life of the mother.

BACKGROUND: Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders are associated with a high risk of maternal morbidity, especially when surgery is performed in emergency conditions. In this context we aimed to report on the incidence of emergency cesarean section (CS) in patients with a high probability of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders on prenatal imaging and to compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes of patients requiring compared to those not requiring an emergency CS.
METHODS: Medline, Embase, Cochrane and Clinicaltrial.gov databases were searched.
METHODS: Case-control studies reporting the outcome of pregnancies with high probability of PAS on prenatal imaging confirmed at birth delivered by unplanned emergency CS for maternal or fetal indications compared to those who had a planned elective CS. The outcomes observed were the occurrence of emergency CS, incidence of placenta accreta and increta/percreta, preterm birth < 34 weeks of gestation and indications for emergency delivery. We analyzed and compared the outcomes of patients with emergency CS with those with elective including: estimated blood loss (EBL) (ml), number of packed red blood cells (PRBC) units transfused and blood products transfused, transfusion of more than 4 units of PRBC ureteral, bladder or bowel injury, disseminated intra-vascular coagulation (DIC), re-laparotomy after the primary surgery, maternal infection or fever, wound infection, vesicouterine or vesicovaginal fistula, admission to neonatal intensive care unit, maternal death, composite neonatal morbidity, admission to NICU, fetal or neonatal loss, Apgar score < 7 at 5 minutes, neonatal birthweight.
METHODS: Quality assessment of the included studies was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for case-control and cohort studies Random-effect meta-analyses of proportions, risk and mean differences were used to combine the data.
RESULTS: Eleven studies with 1290 pregnancies complicated by PAS were included in the systematic review. Emergency CS was reported in 36.2% (95% CI 28.1-44.9) pregnancies with PAS at birth, of which 80.3% (95% CI 36.5-100) occurred before 34 weeks of gestation. The main indication for emergency CS was antepartum bleeding which complicated 61.8% (95% CI 32.1-87.4) of the cases. Emergent CS had a higher EBL during surgery (pooled MD 595 ml, 95% CI 116.1-1073.9, p< 0.001), PRBC (pooled MD 2.3 units, 95% CI 0.99-3.6, p< 0.001) and blood products (pooled MD 3.0, 95% CI 1.1-4.9, p= 0.002) transfused compared to scheduled CS. Patients with emergency CS had a higher risk of requiring transfusion of more than 4 units of PRBC (OR: 3. 8, 95% CI 1.7-4.9; p= 0.002) bladder injury (OR: 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-4.00; p= 0.003), DIC (OR 6.1, 95% CI 3.1-13.1; p<0.001) and admission to ICU (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1. 4-3.3; p<0.001). Newborns delivered in emergency had a higher risk of adverse composite neonatal outcome (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.4-4.7; p= 0.019), admission to NICU (OR: 2.5, 95% CI 1.1-5.6; p= 0.029), Apgar score <7 at 5 minutes (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.5-4. 9; p= 0.002) and fetal or neonatal loss (OR: 8.2, 95% CI 2.5-27.4; p<0.001.
CONCLUSIONS: Emergency CD complicates about 35% of pregnancies affected by PAS disorders and is associated with a higher risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcome. Large prospective studies are needed to evaluate the clinical and imaging signs that can identify those patients with a high probability of PAS at birth, at risk of requiring an emergency CS, intrapartum hemorrhage and peri-partum hysterectomy.

Pregnancies following previous caesarean section (CS) are associated with higher incidence of infections, postpartum haemorrhage and obstetric complications. The present study aimed to explore the effect of previous CS on reproductive, maternal and neonatal outcomes in women who underwent assisted reproductive techniques (ART). A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to assess reproductive and pregnancy outcomes following ART in women with and without a previous CS. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. Eligible language articles written in English, published up to October 2023, were identified in Medline, Google Scholar and Science Direct databases. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. A total of 19 articles, reporting on 13 different outcomes met the inclusion criteria. It was revealed that women with previous CS had 9% lower clinical pregnancy rates, 13% lower live birth rates, 11% lower implantation rates and 28% lower multiple pregnancy rates compared with women who had prior natural vaginal deliveries. Additionally, previous CS was associated with an 8-fold higher risk of difficult embryo transfers. No significant differences were noted in ectopic pregnancy rates, miscarriage rates or biochemical pregnancy rates. The present systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated that previous CS is associated with decreased prospects of clinical pregnancy, live birth and successful embryo implantation during ART. The findings of the present study underscored the need to counsel women with prior CS regarding its potential impact on ART outcomes.

UNASSIGNED: The trend of increasing caesarean section (CS) rates brings up questions related to subfertility. Research regarding the influence of CS on assisted reproduction techniques (ART) is conflicting. A potential mechanism behind CS-induced subfertility is intra uterine fluid resulting from a caesarean scar defect or niche. The vaginal microbiome has been repeatedly connected to negative ART outcomes, but it is unknown if the microbiome is changed in relation to a niche.
UNASSIGNED: This systematic review describes literature investigating the effect of a niche on live birth rates after assisted reproduction. Furthermore, studies investigating a difference in microbial composition in subfertile persons with a niche compared to no niche are evaluated. Pubmed, Embase and Web of Science were searched on March 2023 for comparative studies on both study questions. Inclusion criteria were i.e., English language, human-only studies, availability of the full article and presence of comparative pregnancy data on a niche. The quality of the included studies and their risk of bias were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for cohort studies. The results were graphically displayed in a forest plot.
UNASSIGNED: Six retrospective cohort studies could be included on fertility outcomes, with a total of 1083 persons with a niche and 3987 without a niche. The overall direction of effect shows a negative impact of a niche on the live birth rate (pooled aOR 0.58, 95% CI 0.48-0.69) with low-grade evidence. Three studies comparing the microbiome between persons with and without a CS could be identified.
UNASSIGNED: There is low-grade evidence to conclude that the presence of a niche reduces live birth rates when compared to persons without a niche. The theory that a caesarean has a negative impact on pregnancy outcomes because of dysbiosis promoted by the niche is interesting, but there is no sufficient literature about this.
The increasing number of caesarean deliveries has raised concerns about how it might affect a woman’s ability to get pregnant afterwards. Some studies suggest that having a caesarean section (CS) could make it harder to conceive, particularly through in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The reason could be the scar or niche from a previous caesarean. This niche can cause fluid inside the uterus. We also know that the mix of bacteria in the vagina, called the vaginal microbiome, can affect a woman’s chances of getting pregnant, especially with treatments like IVF. But we are not sure if having a caesarean affects the vaginal microbiome.To understand this better, van den Tweel’s team looked at studies on whether having a niche from a caesarean affects a woman’s chance of having a baby through IVF. They also looked at studies comparing the bacteria in the vagina of women who have had a caesarean with those who have not. They found that having a caesarean niche makes it harder for a woman to have a baby through IVF. However, the evidence from these studies is not very strong. We still do not know enough about whether having a caesarean niche affects the bacteria in the vagina.

Caesarean section (C-section) is the most performed major surgery worldwide. About 15% of births are delivered through C-section in Rwanda. The post-caesarean surgical section is one of the most frequent complications that follow a C-section. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to estimate the pooled prevalence of surgical site infections following caesarean section deliveries in Rwanda. A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, DOAJ, AJOL and the Cochrane Library to identify primary studies on post-caesarean surgical site infections in Rwanda. Studies meeting predetermined criteria were included, and their quality was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tools. Heterogeneity was evaluated using I2 statistics, while publication bias was examined via funnel plots and statistical tests. Pooled prevalence was calculated using Jamovi 2.3.28 software, with subgroup analysis conducted to identify sources of heterogeneity. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. From 139 articles initially searched from the databases, only 17 studies with 8, 082 individuals were finally included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Using the random-effects model, the pooled estimate of post C-section SSIs prevalence in Rwanda was 6.85% (95% CI 5.2, 8.5). Subgroup analysis based on publication year, sample size, hospital and study design showed no much difference in SSI prevalence. The current systematic review and meta-analysis indicates that post-caesarean surgical site infections are significant in Rwanda. A collaborative effort is required to lower post-C-section SSIs and provide the best surgical care in the country.

Guidelines for pre-operative skin antisepsis recommend using chlorhexidine in an alcohol-based solution. However, other antiseptics such as aqueous povidone-iodine or alcohol-based solutions continue to be used. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in caesarean section are rare and do not include all possible comparisons of antiseptics. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy (reduction of surgical site infections) of chlorhexidine at two different concentrations (0.3% and 2%) and povidone-iodine in aqueous or alcohol-based solutions using a network meta-analysis, including only RCTs of caesarean sections. Fragility indices and prediction intervals were also estimated. A systematic literature review and network meta-analysis were performed. RCTs published up to February 2024 were collected from PubMed, ScienceDirect and the Cochrane Library. Interventions included alcohol-based povidone-iodine, aqueous povidone-iodine, and alcohol-based chlorhexidine 2% and 0.3%. The primary outcome measure was surgical site infection. Nine RCTs with 4915 patients and four interventions were included in the network meta-analysis. All credible intervals of the compared interventions overlapped. Alcohol-based 2% chlorhexidine had the highest probability of being effective in preventing surgical site infections, followed by alcohol-based povidone-iodine. The fragility index ranged from 4 to 18. The prediction intervals were wide. On the basis of rank probabilities, chlorhexidine 2% in an alcohol-based solution was most likely to be effective in preventing surgical site infections after caesarean section, followed by alcohol-based povidone-iodine. Given the paucity of literature and the relatively small difference between povidone-iodine and chlorhexidine found in our meta-analysis, we suggest that either can be used in an alcohol-based solution as antisepsis for planned or emergency caesarean section.

The rate of caesarean section (CS) is increasing worldwide. Defects in uterine healing have a major gynaecological and obstetric impact (uterine rupture, caesarean scar defect, caesarean scar pregnancy, placenta accreta spectrum). The complex process of cellular uterine healing after surgery, and specifically after CS, remains poorly understood in contrast to skin wound healing. This literature review on uterine wound healing was mainly based on histological observations, particularly after CS. The primary objective of the review was to examine the effects of CS on uterine tissue at the cellular level, based on histological observations. The secondary objectives were to describe the biomechanical characteristics and the therapies used to improve scar tissue after CS. This review was performed using PRISMA criteria, and PubMed was the data source. The study included all clinical and animal model studies with CS and histological analysis of the uterine scar area (macroscopic, microscopic, immunohistochemical and biomechanical). Twenty studies were included: 10 human and 10 animal models. In total, 533 female humans and 511 female animals were included. Review articles, meeting abstracts, case series, case reports, and abstracts without access to full-text were excluded. The search was limited to studies published in English. No correlation was found between cutaneous and uterine healing. The histology of uterine scars is characterized by disorganized smooth muscle, fibrosis with collagen fibres and fewer endometrial glands. As for skin healing, the initial inflammation phase and mediation of some growth factors (particularly connective tissue growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, tumour necrosis factor α and tumour necrosis factor β) seem to be essential. This initial phase has an impact on the subsequent phases of proliferation and maturation. Collagen appears to play a key role in the initial granulation tissue to replace the loss of substance. Subsequent maturation of the scar tissue is essential, with a decrease in collagen and smooth muscle restoration. Unlike skin, the glandular structure of uterine tissue could be responsible for the relatively high incidence of healing defects. Uterine scar defects after CS are characterized by an atrophic disorganized endometrium with atypia and a fibroblastic highly collagenic stromal reaction. Concerning immunohistochemistry, one study found a decrease in tumour necrosis factor β in uterine scar defects. No correlation was found between biomechanical characteristics (particularly uterine strength) and the presence of a collagenous scar after CS. Based on the findings of this review, an illustration of current understanding about uterine healing is provided. There is currently no validated prevention of caesarean scar defects. Various treatments to improve uterine healing after CS have been tested, and appeared to have good efficacy in animal studies: alpha lipoic acid, growth factors, collagen scaffolds and mesenchymal stem cells. Further prospective studies are needed.

UNASSIGNED: Shivering occurs more frequently for women having caesarean section under neuraxial anaesthesia compared to other patient groups and causes an increase in pain and interrupts bonding with her newborn.
UNASSIGNED: This study aimed to report the evidence on non-pharmacological methods to treat shivering, defined as uncontrollable shaking, because of being cold, frightened, or excited, post neuraxial anaesthesia; the use of local anaesthesia inserted around the nerves of the central nervous system such as spinal anaesthesia and epidural in women having a caesarean section.
UNASSIGNED: A scoping review was conducted using six electronic health databases that were searched with no restrictions placed on language, date, or study type.
UNASSIGNED: Of the 1399 studies identified, following screenings only one study was deemed suitable for inclusion. The study, a randomised controlled trial, compared forced air warming blankets (intervention) with the usual care of warmed cotton blankets (control) and its impact on maternal and newborn outcomes. The only statistically significant difference found was the perceived thermal comfort of the mother.
UNASSIGNED: Non-pharmacological treatments for shivering are underrepresented in the literature; only one study identified where the impact of active warming was compared to warmed cotton blankets (usual care) for the measures of: oral temperature; degree of shivering; and thermal comfort pain scores. There was a decline in temperature in both groups at odds with some women reporting feeling too warm such that they asked for the active warmer to be turned down.
UNASSIGNED: Social engagement strategies are interventions that send a signal of safety to the nervous system leading to a sense of calm and wellbeing and have biological plausibility and warrant evaluation. Recommendations for further research: design a robust study to test the effectiveness of social engagement strategies on shivering for women having caesarean section under neuraxial anaesthesia.

BACKGROUND: The period following pregnancy is a critical time window when future habits with respect to physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) are established; therefore, it warrants guidance. The purpose of this scoping review was to summarize public health-oriented country-specific postpartum PA and SB guidelines worldwide.
METHODS: To identify guidelines published since 2010, we performed a (a) systematic search of 4 databases (CINAHL, Global Health, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus), (b) structured repeatable web-based search separately for 194 countries, and (c) separate web-based search. Only the most recent guideline was included for each country.
RESULTS: We identified 22 countries with public health-oriented postpartum guidelines for PA and 11 countries with SB guidelines. The continents with guidelines included Europe (n = 12), Asia (n = 5), Oceania (n = 2), Africa (n = 1), North America (n = 1), and South America (n = 1). The most common benefits recorded for PA included weight control/management (n = 10), reducing the risk of postpartum depression or depressive symptoms (n = 9), and improving mood/well-being (n = 8). Postpartum guidelines specified exercises to engage in, including pelvic floor exercises (n = 17); muscle strengthening, weight training, or resistance exercises (n = 13); aerobics/general aerobic activity (n = 13); walking (n = 11); cycling (n = 9); and swimming (n = 9). Eleven guidelines remarked on the interaction between PA and breastfeeding; several guidelines stated that PA did not impact breast milk quantity (n = 7), breast milk quality (n = 6), or infant growth (n = 3). For SB, suggestions included limiting long-term sitting and interrupting sitting with PA.
CONCLUSIONS: Country-specific postpartum guidelines for PA and SB can help promote healthy behaviors using a culturally appropriate context while providing specific guidance to public health practitioners.