Isolation of Mycoplasma from the placenta after cesarean section

Placentas obtained at cesarean section were cultured for Mycoplasma and other microorganisms in 123 randomly selected patients in order to evaluate the incidence of Mycoplasma, to identify factors which may contribute to their presence, and to correlate their presence with the occurrence of postpartum infection. Twenty-eight placentas (22.8%) yielded Mycoplasma positive cultures. The incidence of Mycoplasma in the placenta was significantly higher in patients with ruptured membranes. The incidence of postpartum fever was significantly higher (P less than 0.01) in cases positive for Mycoplasma as compared to cases in which the placenta was negative for Mycoplasma. Findings were similar for both groups with regard to the incidence of unexplained postpartum fever. The results of this study suggest that Mycoplasma may be considered a relatively frequent pathogen and should be considered a possible cause of postpartum fever.