Causes and predictors of early postpartum complications that result in visits to the emergency department

Objectives This study aimed to review the reasons why postpartum women present to the emergency department (ED) over the short term (≤10 days post-delivery) and to identify the risk factors associated with early visits to the ED. Methods This retrospective study included women who delivered at the William Osler Health System (WOHS) in 2018 and presented to the WOHS ED within 10 days after delivery. Descriptive statistics were used to examine postpartum visits, while a regression analysis was used to identify predictors of early visits to the ED. Results Overall, 429 unique postpartum ED visits occurred over 1 year (2018), of which 381 were included in this analysis. The average age of the patients was 31.22 years (SD: 4.83), and the median gravidity was 2 (IQR: 1–3). Most patients delivered via spontaneous vaginal delivery (52.36 %). The median time of presentation to the ED was 5.0 days, with the most common reasons as follows: abdominal pain (17.02 %), wound-related issues (13.09 %), and fever or vaginal/rectal pain (9.95 %). Weekend (P Conclusions This study was the first in a busy community setting that examined ED visits over a short postpartum period. Patient education on pain management and wound care, including the availability of an early postpartum contact, can potentially decrease the rate of ED visits.