| Postpartum infections | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Puerperal fever, childbed fever, maternal sepsis, maternal infection, puerperal infections |
| Streptococcus pyogenes (red-stained spheres) is responsible for many cases of severe puerperal fever. | |
| Medical specialty | Obstetrics |
| Symptoms | Fever, lower abdominal pain, bad-smelling vaginal discharge |
| Causes | Typically multiple types of bacteria |
| Risk factors | Caesarean section, premature rupture of membranes, prolonged labour, malnutrition, diabetes |
| Treatment | Antibiotics |
| Frequency | 11.8 million |
| Deaths | 17,900 |
Childbed fever is an bacterial infection of the female reproductive tract, which occurs after a woman has given birth or after a miscarriage. It is also known as postpartum infection, or puerperal fever. In the developed world, it affects about one to two percent of all births. It can develop into a life-threatening sepsis. Cesarean section is one of the risk factors. For this reason, all women undergoing a Cesarean section receive antibiotics.
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