Association of patient and clinical characteristics with cesarean delivery operating times at a Texas level IV maternal center: a single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim of our study was to identify patient and clinical characteristics associated with longer cesarean delivery operative time at our hospital.

METHODS: Our institutional review board approved this study and waived the requirement for informed consent. Patients who had cesarean deliveries from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Temple were eligible for inclusion. Patients who were Black, Hispanic, or Caucasian were divided into shortest and longest quartiles of operative time. A bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed between the short and long operative time cohorts to determine which characteristics were independently associated with a longer operative time.

RESULTS: There were 231 and 220 patients in the short and long cohorts, respectively. Medicaid vs commercial insurance (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00-2.45; P = 0.049), a five-unit increase in body mass index (aOR 1.64; 95% CI 1.38-1.95; P < 0.001), and performing a sterilization procedure (aOR 3.20; 95% CI 1.80-5.70; P < 0.001) were independently associated with the long cohort.

DISCUSSION: Medicaid insurance, body mass index, and performing a sterilization procedure were associated with a 57%, 64%, and 220% increase, respectively, of being in the longer operative cohort.