Survival rates of mares and foals and postoperative complications and fertility of mares after cesarean section: 95 cases (1986-2000).

The research investigates the survival rates of mares and their offspring post-cesarean section and how surgical complications affect mares’ fertility. The study concludes that ceasarean sections can have an impact on future foaling rates, particularly when factoring in elements such as the mare’s age and length of dystocia.

Research Methodology

• The study covered a fourteen-year period from 1986 to 2000.
• The records of 95 mares that underwent a cesarean section were retrospectively examined in this study.
• The research focused on several key parameters, such as the reason for the cesarean section (e.g., dystocia or concurrent maternal disease), survival rates of the mares and foals post-surgery, any postoperative complications, and fertility of the mares post-surgery.
• To evaluate the fertility of mares, the rates of successful foaling in the three years after the C-section were compared against the cumulative foaling rate before the C-section.

Key Findings

• A significant number of the cesarean sections (n = 71) were performed due to dystocia – difficult or prolonged labor.
• The overall survival rate for mares was observed to be 84% and for foals, it was only 35%.
• Mares that experienced dystocia for less than 90 minutes had fewer complications post-surgery, indicating that the duration of dystocia may have an impact on the outcome.
• The results showed a decrease in the overall foaling rate post-C-sections from 77% to 52% over three years.
• Mares aged 16 years or older had a significantly lower foaling rate of 31% post-C-section.
• Foaling rate was significantly lower for mares bred in the same year as the C-section compared to those bred in subsequent years.

Conclusions

• Mares that experienced a longer duration of dystocia, were older, or were bred in the same year as their C-section had poorer foaling rates post-surgery.
• The prognosis for delivering a live foal in the years following a C-section was good if the mare was younger than 16 years old at the time of surgery and if the duration of dystocia was less than 90 minutes.