Vaginal cleansing just before cesarean delivery reduces the risk of postoperative endometritis, concludes a recent review from ‘Obstetrics & Gynecology’. Postpartum endometritis, a significant cause of maternal mortality, occurs after 1-3% of all deliveries and 10 times more common after cesarean delivery. Post-cesarean infections are a major health problem responsible for 4-8% of maternal mortality. The most common post-cesarean infection complications are endometritis (6-27%), fever (5-24%), and wound infection (2-9%).
WHO recommends vaginal cleansing with povidone-iodine just before cesarean to prevent post-cesarean infections. The aforementioned study was conducted to find out whether, vaginal cleansing before cesarean prevents post-operative endometritis. The main findings of this study are discussed as follows- Methods This meta-analysis reviewed 16 randomized controlled trials…
