Open AccessPrevalence of postpartum infections: a population‐based observational study
Author(s) -
Axelsson Daniel,
Blomberg Marie
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.1111/aogs.12455
Subject(s) - medicine , endometritis , antibiotics , observational study , mastitis , urinary system , population , obstetrics , postpartum period , prevalence , pregnancy , epidemiology , environmental health , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , biology
We investigated the prevalence of postpartum infections among women giving birth during 1 year in a population‐based observational/questionnaire study at seven hospitals in the southeast region of Sweden. Of the women >99% ( n = 11 124) received a questionnaire to inquire if they had endometritis, mastitis, or wound, urinary tract or any other infection within 2 months postpartum and whether they received antibiotics for this. Prevalence rates for infections and antibiotic treatment were estimated. The response rate was 60.1%. At least one infectious episode was reported by 10.3% of the women and 7.5% had received antibiotics. The prevalence for infections with and without antibiotics were, respectively, mastitis 4.7% and 2.9%, urinary tract infection 3.0% and 2.4%, endometritis 2.0% and 1.7%, wound infection 1.8% and 1.2%. There was no inter‐county difference in infection prevalence. Clinical postpartum infections in a high‐resource setting are relatively common.