Walking to a better future? Postoperative ambulation after cesarean delivery and complications: A prospective study

Objective To assess the correlation between maternal mobility after cesarean delivery and postoperative morbidity. Methods A prospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital among patients after cesarean delivery. The women were recruited after surgery and before ambulation. Each participant received an accelerometer and routine instructions for mobilization. The patients were asked to wear the accelerometer constantly. It was collected at discharge. Electronic files were reviewed and patients’ outcomes were analyzed. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare groups and a receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated for the threshold of number of steps. Results Data were analyzed for 199 patients, among which 107 (54.4%) deliveries were urgent and 90 (45.6%) were elective. The median number of steps was higher for multiparous women compared to nulliparous women (P = 0.035). Patients who developed complications after discharge walked significantly less during their hospitalization compared to those who did not. There was a trend toward increased risk for in‐hospitalization complications among patients who walked less while hospitalized. A threshold of more than 9716 steps per hospitalization was found to be associated with fewer post‐discharge complications. Conclusion There is a significant correlation between the extent of ambulation after cesarean delivery and fewer postoperative complications. The study quantifies the effect of walking on complications after caesarean delivery, and offers an ambulation goal, as there is no standardized recommendation for postoperative ambulation.