Evaluation of decision to delivery interval and its effect on feto‐maternal outcomes in Category‐I emergency cesarean section deliveries in Phuentsholing General Hospital, 2020: A retrospective cross‐sectional study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: When there is an immediate threat to maternal or fetal life, it is recommended to deliver within 30 min of the decision to have favorable perinatal outcomes. However, there is no data on the delivery intervals for Category‐I emergency cesarean section in Bhutan. The study evaluated the decision to delivery interval (DDI) and its effect on perinatal and maternal outcomes in Category‐I emergency cesarean section. METHODS: A retrospective cross‐sectional study was conducted at the Phuentsholing General Hospital, Bhutan, from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Mothers who underwent Category‐I emergency cesarean section were included. The demographic variables, patient transfer time, anesthesia time, operation time, DDI, and maternal and perinatal outcomes were recorded in a standard proforma. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. RESULTS: Of 78 Category‐I emergency cesarean sections, only 23 (29.5%) of the cases were able to perform within 30 min of the DDI. The median (interquartile range) DDI was 37 (30–44) min. More time was taken by anesthetists to administer anesthesia (20 [15–8] min). Fetal distress (40, 51.3%) was the commonest indication. The longest DDI was around 39 min for prolonged labor, and the shortest was 26 min for failed instrumental delivery. Over half of the newborns delivered more than 30 min of DDI had low APGAR scores (25, 32.1%) at 1 min and meconium was present (23, 29.5%). Intensive care was required in 11 (14.1%), of which there was 1 (1.3%) neonatal death. CONCLUSION: The Category‐I emergency cesarean sections performed within recommended DDI of 30 min were much less. The main delay was due to the longer time taken for the patient transfer and time taken by the anesthetists to administer anesthesia. Perinatal outcomes were favorable when the deliveries were conducted within 30 min of DDI.