Maternal hemodynamic effects due to brief extra-abdominal uterine fundal pressure during cesarean section

Determination of contributing factors of hemodynamic alterations during child delivery is important. One of the factors is brief extra-abdominal uterine fundal pressure during cesarean section to facilitate delivery. Hence in this study the maternal hemodynamic effects due to brief extra-abdominal uterine fundal pressure during cesarean section were assessed. In this interventional quasi-experimental study, 117 consecutive pregnant women undergoing cesarean section in a training hospital in Tehran in 2018 were enrolled. The brief extra-abdominal uterine fundal pressure was done and blood pressure and heart rate were determined and compared before and after the pressure. After brief extra-abdominal uterine fundal pressure the heart rate and blood pressure were significantly decreased (P=0.001). The maximal decrease was 40 mmHg, 10 mmHg, and 28 beats for systolic blood pressure, diastolic, blood pressure, and heart rate, respectively. According to the obtained results, it may be concluded that there are hemodynamic effects due to brief extra-abdominal uterine fundal pressure during cesarean section and attention to these alterations and prevention of potential adverse effects is recommended.