Factors Affecting Postpartum Infection: A Systematic Review

Puerperal infection is used to describe any bacterial infection of the reproductive tract after delivery. Identifying the factors affecting postpartum infections can reduce the risk and complications of such factors and postpartum maternal mortality.

This structured study was designed to evaluate factors affecting postpartum infections.

In this study, after selecting Scopus, PubMed, SID, and Web of Science electronic databases, all observational studies (cohort and case-control) available and published in Farsi and English to investigate factors affecting postpartum infections were searched. The search was performed using the terms postpartum, infection, wound infection, puerperium, reason, risk factor, and their equivalent Persian words from 2010 to November 2019 regardless of publication status.

Out of the 3227 studies obtained, 19 were reviewed after removing irrelevant articles, duplicates (shared in databases), and animal samples. Age, level of education, delivery method, presence of episiotomy, anemia due to postpartum hemorrhage, interventions and manipulations during childbirth, prenatal hygiene, Povidone Iodine usage before delivery to wash the vagina, antibiotic prevention, increased labor duration, obesity, and the presence of bacteria were common symptoms affecting postpartum infection.

In this study, the factors affecting postpartum infection have been identified, some of which are avoidable. Identifying these factors helps reduce postpartum infections and their complications.