Wound Infection Incidence and Obesity in Elective Cesarean Sections in Jordan

BACKGROUND: Wound infection is a challenge that face healthcare facilities. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of obesity on wound infection incidence. METHODS: A prospective study involved 127 patients underwent elective Cesarean section surgeries in the first ten months of 2018 with a follow up period of 90 days. RESULTS: The wound infection incidence was 37.8%; the suture infection was 15.7% and SSI was 22%, which divided into: the superficial SSI among 23 (82.1%) patients, and deep tissue SSI among five (17.9%) patients. Obese patients with BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more were significantly at higher risk for wound infections than those whose BMI less than 30 kg/m2 (p= 0.02, relative risk= 2.363). CONCLUSION: Obese patients who underwent Cesarean sections were found to have higher risk to develop wound infections. A larger scale study is needed to determine other associated risk factors.