title: Survival rates of mares and foals and postoperative complications and fertility of mares after cesarean section: 95 cases (1986-2000).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess survival-to-discharge rates of mares and foals and postoperative complications and fertility in mares following cesarean section (C-section).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  95 mares.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical and breeding records of mares that underwent C-section were reviewed; signalment, surgical technique, complications, survival-to-discharge rate, and pregnancy and foaling rates were recorded and evaluated. Foaling rates in the 3 years after C-section were compared with the cumulative foaling rate before C-section.
  
  
  RESULTS
  C-section was performed because of dystocia (n = 71) or concurrent maternal disease (20) or was elective (4). Overall survival-to-discharge rate was 84% (80/95) for mares and 35% (28/80) for foals. Six of 15 mares that had partial fetotomies prior to C-section did not survive. Mares that had dystocia for < 90 minutes had the fewest complications. Cumulative foaling rate before C-section was 77% (394/509). Overall foaling rate for the 3 years after C-section was 52% (30/58) and 68% (13/19) when duration of dystocia was ≥ 90 minutes and < 90 minutes, respectively, and was 31 % (9/29) for mares ≥ 16 years old. Foaling rate was significantly lower for mares bred in the same year as C-section than for mares bred in later years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Breeding in the same year as C-section, dystocia for ≥ 90 minutes before C-section, and mare age ≥ 16 years were associated with poor foaling rates. Prognosis for delivery of a live foal in years following C-section was good if duration of dystocia was < 90 minutes and the mare was < 16 years old at the time of surgery.
authors.affiliation: Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, Lexington, KY 40511, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Abernathy-Young
authors.forename: Michelle M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.forename: Rolf M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Embertson
authors.forename: Scott W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.forename: Arnold J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Stromberg
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D004420:Dystocia / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006736:Horses; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors