Vaginal cleansing before a cesarean
A simple step that more than halves uterine infection.
Washing the vagina with an antiseptic solution before a cesarean reduces infection of the uterine lining. In a review of 21 trials and 7,038 women, uterine infection fell from 7.1% to 3.1%. Wound infection and postoperative fever also fell. The benefit was greatest in women who were already in labor.
7.1%
Uterine infection without vaginal cleansing
21 trials, 7,038 women
3.1%
With vaginal cleansing
Same review
Not every hospital does this routinely. It is reasonable to ask whether yours does.
Where this comes from:
304. Haas DM, Morgan S, Contreras K, Kimball S. Vaginal preparation with antiseptic solution before cesarean section for preventing postoperative infections. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;(4):CD007892.
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