Nosocomial infections in an obstetric and gynecologic hospital

A prospective study was undertaken at Wesson Women's Unit of Baystate Medical Center to characterize and evaluate nosocomial infections. Using Center for Disease Control criteria, 59 of 1,297 patients undergoing obstetric or gynecologic procedures over a two-month period manifested nosocomial infections. The infected patients were proportionately divided between the obstetric and gynecologic services. However, within each group, certain procedures were associated with a greater incidence of postoperative hospital-acquired infection. Patients who underwent primary cesarean sections and vaginal hysterectomies were most at risk of developing nosocomial infections (22% and 19%, respectively). Nosocomial infection is still a major problem to the obstetrician-gynecologist. However, careful study can delineate patients at high risk, allowing appropriate intervention, including the use of prophylactic antibiotics. This may lead to a significant reduction in the incidence of nosocomial infections.