Cesarean Delivery in Women With Genital Herpes
Author Information
Author(s): Jeanne M. Marrazzo, Grace C. John, Marijane A. Krohn, Lawrence Corey
Primary Institution: University of Washington
Hypothesis
The proportion of cesarean deliveries in pregnant women with a history of genital herpes and no active lesions at birth is higher than that in women with no history of genital herpes.
Conclusion
Women with a history of genital herpes have a slightly elevated risk of cesarean delivery, especially in hospitals with a higher baseline prevalence of cesarean deliveries.
Supporting Evidence
- Prevalence of primary cesarean delivery was 61.7% in women with clinical herpes during pregnancy.
- Women with a history of herpes had a primary cesarean delivery rate of 12.5%.
- Cesarean delivery prevalence was 11.2% in women without herpes.
Takeaway
This study looked at women with genital herpes and found that those with a history of it are more likely to have a cesarean delivery, especially in hospitals where cesarean rates are already high.
Methodology
Retrospective cohort study using birth records from Washington state.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of herpes status and variability in cesarean delivery coding across hospitals.
Limitations
The study relied on birth records which may not accurately reflect the clinical status of herpes at delivery and could misclassify exposure status.
Participant Demographics
Women who gave birth in Washington state from 1989 to 1991, including those with clinical herpes during pregnancy, history of herpes, and no herpes.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.058
Confidence Interval
[95% CI: 0.93, 1.37]
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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