Endometritis following vaginal delivery

The authors reviewed 158 cases of endometritis complicating vaginal delivery. The diagnostic criteria included fever over 100F with uterine tenderness and/or foul lochia. The mean temperature at diagnosis was 102.2F, and only 21 (13%) had temperature less than 100.9F. The majority of patients did not have traditional risk factors. Endometritis was characterized as generally early in onset (84% within 7 days) and usually mild in course (5.0% had bacteremia, 93.7% responded to initial antibiotics). Yet a small group (1.9%) developed documented pelvic abscess, fulminant peritonitis, or suspected septic pelvic thrombophlebitis.