Vaginal cleansing prior to caesarian section: To do or not to do?: A randomized trial

To evaluate the efficacy of preoperative vaginal cleansing using povidone-iodine solution 10% on rates of post cesarean section (CS) infectious morbidities (endometritis, febrile morbidity and wound infection).

This prospective randomized trial was conducted among 226 pregnant women scheduled for term elective CS. Patients were equally divided into two groups by simple randomization method. The study group had preoperative vaginal cleansing using povidone-iodine solution 10% for about 1 min, while the control group did not. All cases received the prophylactic antibiotics and the usual abdominal scrub. Adverse post CS infectious morbidities such as endometritis, febrile morbidity and wound infection were observed at the time of hospital discharge and weekly for 6 weeks postpartum.

Both groups were matched regarding the baseline patients' characteristics. Overall, post-CS infectious morbidity was significantly reduced from 20.7% in the control group to 7.5% in the intervention group. Marked significant reduction was seen in the incidence of endometritis (11.8% in the control group versus 2.8% in the intervention group). However, maternal fever and wound infection showed no significant difference between both groups.

Vaginal cleansing with povidone-iodine solution 10% prior to elective CS appears to be effective in reducing rates of post-CS infectious morbidity mainly endometritis.