Cesarean Section and Prophylactic Antibiotics

Abstract

Infectious morbidity remains a leading cause of postoperative complications following caesarean delivery. The major infectious complications of caesarean delivery are fever, wound infection, endometritis and urinary tract infection. Postoperative surgical site infection remains a major source of illness and a less frequent cause of death in the surgical patient. The administration of prophylactic antibiotics with in specific interval has been shown to reduce the burden of surgical site infection, but adherence to proper timing guidelines remains problematic. Judicious use of antibiotics in the hospital through effective antibiotic policy and guideline development is then essential.