Differences in postpartum morbidity in women who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus after elective cesarean delivery, emergency cesarean delivery, or vaginal delivery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of elective cesarean delivery on postpartum morbidity in women who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Study Design: We performed a retrospective study of 401 women who were infected with HIV who were delivered in a single reference center from 1989 through 1999. Women who had cesarean deliveries (n = 201), of which 109 were elective and 92 were emergency, were compared with a group of women who were delivered vaginally (n = 200), composed of the women who were infected with HIV preceding each cesarean delivery.

Results: One or more serious complications occurred after 12% of emergency cesarean deliveries, after 6.4% of elective cesarean deliveries, and after 4% of vaginal deliveries (P =.04). In a multivariate analysis, which was adjusted for maternal CD4 lymphocyte count and antepartum hemorrhage, the relative risk of any postpartum complication (serious or minor) was increased by 1.85 (range, 1.00-3.39) after elective cesarean delivery and 4.17 (range, 2.32-7.49) after emergency cesarean delivery, compared with vaginal deliveries (P =.0001).

Conclusion: Postpartum morbidity in women who are infected with HIV was highest after emergency, rather than elective, cesarean deliveries.