Prophylactic antibiotics for transcervical intrauterine procedures

Area of Science:

• Gynecology
• Infectious Disease Prevention

Background:

• Transcervical intrauterine procedures are common in gynecology.
• The vaginal flora presents a risk for post-procedure infections.
• Prophylactic antibiotics are a potential strategy to prevent these infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of antibiotic prophylaxis versus placebo or no treatment for women undergoing transcervical intrauterine procedures.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted using the Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group strategy.
• Databases searched included Cochrane CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Biological Abstracts, and AMED up to August 2012.
• Only randomized controlled trials comparing antibiotic prophylaxis with placebo or no treatment were eligible for inclusion.

Main Results:

• The comprehensive search identified no randomized controlled trials that met the inclusion criteria.
• Consequently, no data were collected or analyzed regarding the effectiveness or safety of antibiotic prophylaxis.

Conclusions:

• Currently, there is a lack of evidence from randomized controlled trials on the use of prophylactic antibiotics for transcervical intrauterine procedures.
• No conclusions can be drawn regarding the benefits or risks of prophylactic antibiotics in preventing post-procedure infections.