[Comparative efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis using cefoxitin in one or in three doses in cesarean section]

To compare the effectiveness of three doses and of a single dose of cefoxitin, a second-generation cephalosporin, in preventing infection after nonelective cesarean section, we carried out a prospective study in 255 women who underwent the procedure between March 1983 and February 1985. The rate of postoperative infection was 7% in the group that received three doses and 8% in the one-dose group. The sensitivity and specificity of perioperative cultures were low. The rate of asymptomatic bacteriuria was high, at 20%, but few symptomatic urinary tract infections were found. Routine antibiotic prophylaxis with a single dose is suggested for all nonelective cesarean sections.