Table 3 Risk factors for Surgical Site Infections (SSI) in cesarean section patients, as reported in the included studies

Ezechi et al. (2009) [27]

BMI > 25

OR

2.34

Prolonged rupture of membranes (PROM)

OR

4.45

Prolonged operation

OR

2.87

Multiple vaginal examinations

OR

Not reported

Mpogoro et al. (2014) [45]

Hypertensive disorders

HR

2.5

Severe anemia

HR

3.8

Wound class III

HR

2.4

Multiple vaginal exams

HR

2.5

Operation > 2 h

HR

2.6

Junior doctor

HR

4.0

Gelaw et al. (2017) [33]

Labor duration

aOR

3.48

PROM prior to cesarean

aOR

3.68

Midline incision

aOR

5.73

Mamo et al. (2017) [34]

Age < 19

OR

3.5

Preterm gestational age

OR

4.23

Labor ≥ 24 h

OR

2.22

PROM ≥ 12 h

OR

5.99

Chorioamnionitis

OR

9.74

Vertical incision

OR

4.0

Hematocrit < 30%

OR

6.4

Blood transfusion

OR

6.75

Diabetes

OR

3.7

Wendmagegn et al. (2018) [36]

PROM

aOR

8.82

Prolonged labor

aOR

16.17

Rural residence

aOR

5.67

Chorioamnionitis

aOR

16.17

Intraoperative blood loss

aOR

6.98

Azeze et al. (2019) [38]

PROM

aOR

13.9

Vertical skin incision

aOR

4.77

Operation duration > 30 min

aOR

4.9

Interrupted closure technique

aOR

6.29

Molla et al. (2019) [37]

Pregnancy-induced hypertension

aOR

4.75

Chorioamnionitis

aOR

4.37

Midline incision

aOR

5.19

Hemoglobin < 11 g/dL

aOR

5.28

Nkurunziza et al. (2019) [48]

Body weight > 75 kg

OR

5.98

Cost of travel > €1.1

OR

2.42

Housewife occupation

OR

2.93

Single antiseptic use

OR

4.42

Noweir et al. (2019) [55]

ASA score ≥ 3

RR

1.21

Operative duration

RR

1.52

Contaminated wound classification

RR

1.21

Antibiotics > 48 h

RR

1.21

Ketema et al. (2020) [42]

No antenatal care

AHR

2.16

Previous cesarean

AHR

1.21

HIV-positive

AHR

1.39

Emergency procedure

AHR

1.13

Vertical incision

AHR

2.60

PROM

AHR

1.50

Multiple vaginal exams

AHR

1.88

Isanga et al. (2020) [58]

Severe anemia

OR

3.51

Lack of preoperative antibiotics

OR

4.21

PROM > 12 h

OR

2.97

Akimana et al. (2021) [23]

Lack of preoperative showering

RR

0.39

Shaving < 30 min before incision

RR

25.5

Obstructed labor

RR

4.55

Combined povidone-iodine and chlorhexidine

RR

0.15

Alemye et al. (2021) [43]

General anesthesia

aOR

2.0

PROM before delivery

aOR

2.27

Hospital stay > 7 days

aOR

3.57

Blood transfusion

aOR

4.2

Ali et al. (2021) [44]

Chorioamnionitis

aOR

6.46

Diabetes mellitus

aOR

6.02

PROM > 12 h

aOR

2.94

Meconium-stained fluid

aOR

2.43

Anemia

aOR

3.44

Ayala et al. (2021) [39]

Age > 35 years

aOR

5.03

Pregnancy-induced hypertension

aOR

5.63

Prolonged labor

aOR

4.12

General anesthesia

aOR

3.96

Hemoglobin < 11 g/dL

aOR

4.51

Bizuayew et al. (2021) [40]

Rural residence

aOR

2.30

Prolonged labor > 24 h

aOR

3.48

PROM > 12 h

aOR

4.61

Hypertension

aOR

3.14

Hematocrit ≤ 30%

aOR

3.22

Gomaa et al. (2021) [7]

Chorioamnionitis

aOR

4.51

PROM

aOR

3.99

Blood loss > 1000 mL

aOR

2.21

Emergency cesarean

aOR

2.16

Cesarean duration > 1 h

aOR

2.12

Lack of antenatal care

aOR

2.05

Prolonged labor ≥ 24 h

aOR

1.45