A post-operative reaction to povidone‑iodine in a postpartum woman: A case report

High infection rates after cesarean section are a major concern in the United States. A majority of antiseptics have irritant properties if they are not used as specified in companies' guidelines. Allergic contact dermatitis caused by povidone‑iodine is infrequent and is misdiagnosed by clinicians who fail to differentiate allergy from irritation. This case report describes an allergic reaction to povidone‑iodine after cesarean section.

A 28-year-old underwent a repeat low transverse cesarean-section at 39 weeks of gestation. The patient informed the medical team that she had no known allergies and no significant past medical history. The new hospital protocol included cleaning the skin over the planned incision site multiple times with povidone‑iodine 7.5% scrub followed by povidone‑iodine 10% paint. The surrounding skin was prepped with chlorhexidine. The patient complained of an allergic reaction on her skin the night after the procedure, with severe itching, and stated that it got progressively worse. The patient was started on an oral regimen of steroids and hydroxyzine. The itching slowly improved and at discharge the patient was continued on hydroxyzine and steroids were discontinued. By the patient's six-week postpartum visit, skin hypopigmentation had completely resolved.

This case illustrates a reaction to povidone‑iodine after cesarean section. This allergic reaction could not be attributed to any other portions of the procedure.