New studies shows that hospitals across New Zealand and Australia are facing an increase in costs in order to care for obese pregnant women giving birth by caesarean section.
This study looks closely at the amount of time 1500 women were under anaesthesia when having a caesarean section. They also examined the connection between the mother’s size and the time it takes for their caesarean delivery.
Women with increased body size are more likely to have a caesarean deliver.
With obese pregnant woman who undergo a caesarean section, hospitals experienced an increase in anaesthesia time of 10-25%. This is costing hospitals an extra $25 per minute.
Pregnant woman of normal weight are on average under the care of an anaesthetist for 72 minutes. Obese women however are under the care of anaesthetists for 10% longer, and for very obese women there is a 25% increase in comparison to women of a normal weight.
The research of the study has been released to coincide with National Anaesthesia Day, an initiative of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.
National Anaesthesia Day encourages people with excess weight, who are anticipating anaesthesia as part of any medical procedure, to speak to their medical team, including their anaesthetist, to discuss ways to reduce their risk.