American journal of perinatology
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Objective Maternal obesity presents several challenges at cesarean section. In an effort to routinely employ a transverse suprapubic skin incision, we often retract the pannus in a rostral direction using adhesive tape placed after induction of anesthesia and before surgical preparation of the skin. We sought to understand the association between taping and neonatal cord blood gases, Apgar scores, and time from skin incision to delivery of the neonate. ⋯ There were no significant differences in cord blood gas values, Apgar scores, or skin incision to delivery interval (p > 0.05 for all outcomes). Conclusions Taping of the pannus at cesarean section is a safe intervention that is not associated with adverse neonatal outcomes. Furthermore, over a set of parturients with BMI > 40 kg/m(2), it does not hasten skin incision to delivery time.