Characteristics of Caesarean section and vaginal delivery
| Delivery mode | |||
| Caesarean | Vaginal | P value | |
| Number of women | 24 | 27 | |
| Age, year | 35.6±5.6 | 33.6±4.6 | 0.17 |
| Pre-pregnancy body weight, kg | 53.4±10.0 | 53.1±5.9 | 0.91 |
| Pre-pregnancy BMI, kg/m2 | 20.9±4.0 | 20.9±2.4 | 0.94 |
| Nulliparous women | 46% (11) | 70% (19) | 0.08 |
| Body weight at delivery, kg | 62.1±9.1 | 64.0±7.8 | 0.45 |
| GW at delivery, week | 38.4±1.3 | 39.3±1.1 | 0.01 |
| Blood loss during delivery, L | 0.69±0.31 | 0.57±0.46 | 0.27 |
| Peripartum fluid replacement*, L | 4.5±0.6 | 1.0±0.5 | <0.01 |
| Infant birth weight, kg | 3.0±0.4 | 3.2±0.3 | 0.10 |
| Weight loss after delivery, kg† | 2.9±1.5 | 4.6±1.4 | <0.01 |
| Time at examination‡ | |||
| Antepartum, GW | 36.4±0.5 | 36.5±0.7 | 0.62 |
| No. of days until delivery | 10.3±8.4 | 19.8±9.2 | <0.01 |
| Postpartum, days | 3.3±0.9 | 3.3±0.8 | 1.00 |
*Intravenous fluid replacement during labour and 24 hours after childbirth for women with vaginal delivery and that during preparations for surgery and 24 hours after childbirth for women with Caesarean section. Ad-lib feeding was allowed 3 hours after childbirth in women with Caesarean section.
†Net weight loss after delivery until postpartum tests.
‡Examination included simultaneous echocardiography and blood sampling for determination of blood variables.
BMI, body mass index; GW, gestational week.