title: Compliance with a protocol for intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis against neonatal group B streptococcal sepsis in women with clinical risk factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of clinical risk factors (CRF) for neonatal sepsis in laboring women and to evaluate clinician compliance with a CRF-based protocol for intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart audit was undertaken at a district hospital (A) and a tertiary obstetric hospital (B) in Sydney, Australia between 1996 and 1998, to determine compliance with IAP in women with defined CRF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-five (12%) women at Hospital A and 117 (19%) at Hospital B had one or more CRF. Overall compliance rates with the IAP protocols were 65 and 50% at Hospitals A and B respectively, but varied according to maternal, obstetric and sepsis-related risk factors. We postulate that differences between the hospitals were related to protocol implementation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compliance with a CRF-based protocol was lower than previously reported. Improvements in protocol development, implementation and maintenance are required to enhance compliance with IAP based on CRF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Sydney, Australia. TSanders@csdgp.com.au
authors.forename: Toni R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: Christine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Gwendolyn L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gilbert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000592:standards*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000592:standards; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D008499:Medical Records; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification