Effect of a strict preoperative hygienic routine on the rate of infections following cesarean section.
The frequency of postoperative infections after cesarean section was studied during two periods. In the first period no strict preoperative hygienic routines were applied; 321 patients were delivered by cesarean section during this period. In the next period strict hygienic routines were introduced; this period included 337 patients. The infection rate was significantly reduced during the second period from 20% to 16%. This reduction was found among the elective operations, and among parturients who had been treated in the hospital for more than 24 h prior to delivery. The frequency of endometritis decreased significantly from the first to the second period, whereas no difference was found concerning wound infections. Significantly fewer patients contracted septicemia during the second period. Since all septicemia cases occurred in endometritis patients the results might indicate that not only the number of patients contracting infection but also the severity of the infections was reduced. No reduction of infections was found after emergency operations. Antibiotic prophylaxis might therefore be of value in this group of patients.
D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002585:Cesarean Section; D004716:Endometritis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control