Maternal protein S activity is associated with massive hemorrhage during caesarean section: retrospective case-control study

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to identify any correlation between the maternal protein S (PS) activity, which decreases spontaneously during normal pregnancy, and the pregnancy outcome, especially the amount of bleeding during caesarean section (CS).

Materials and methods: We analyzed 129 pregnant women who received elective CS at our hospital which is a tertiary perinatal center. The relationship between the amount of intraoperative hemorrhage and PS activity was estimated by simple linear regression. Univariate and multivariate analyses were also performed to determine whether or not the maternal PS activity was associated with massive hemorrhage (>1000 g).

Results: The maternal PS activity correlated with the amount of intraoperative hemorrhage (p = .048, r = 0.175) and could be an independent predictor of massive hemorrhage (odds ratio 1.06; 95% confidence interval 1.01–1.12; p = .013).

Conclusions: Maternal PS activity was associated with the amount of hemorrhage during CS and the occurrence of massive hemorrhage. PS activity reduction naturally occurring during pregnancy could contribute to alleviation of massive hemorrhage.

Keywords:

• Activity
• hemorrhage
• protein S

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Sachiko Morisaki for her valuable technical support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.