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    Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2003 Aug;4(8):1297-313.

    Postpartum infection treatments: a review.

    Chaim W, Burstein E.

    Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel. walter@bgumail.bgu.ac.il

    Upper genital tract infections are the most common complications of the puerperium. Less frequent complications are mastitis and septic pelvic thrombophlebitis. Several risk factors including obstetrical, gynaecological, demographic and surgical, are associated with an increased rate of postpartum endometritis and their influence is higher after a caesarean than vaginal delivery. Postpartum endometritis rate range from 15 to 35%. Their identification should be prioritized to prevent this complication. The vaginal flora plays a central role in the development of endometritis. Prophylactic antibiotic treatment at the time of caesarean delivery has helped reduce the rate of postpartum endometritis. When endometritis has been identified and cultures from the genital tract obtained. empirical therapy should be instituted until culture results are available and only then, if needed, therapy changed according to the microorganism's sensitivity. The use of penicillins, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, metronidazole, macrolides, beta-lactamases inhibitors and quinolones has been reviewed. Various available therapies for endometritis and the experience and results of several authors were analysed. Cost-effectiveness is one of the most important aspects in the decision making process in searching for the best therapy. The monitoring of infection rates within each institution to determine the effectiveness of the prophylactic agent to be used is imperative; it would reduce costs and at the same time, provide the best adequate therapy. After reviewing all the aspects of the different therapies used in case of postpartum endometritis, it may be concluded that the combination of clindamycin and gentamicin is preferred as it can be administered once-daily, and is also the least expensive. Other issues to be taken into account are the number of daily doses and duration of therapy, factors that affect patients compliance and cost of hospitalisation.

    PMID: 12877638 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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    Patient drug information

    • Clindamycin (Cleocin®)

      Clindamycin is used to treat certain types of bacterial infections, including infections of the lungs, skin, blood, female reproductive organs, and internal organs. Clindamycin is in a class of medications called lincomy...

    • Clindamycin Vaginal (Cleocin®, Cleocin Vaginal Ovules®, Clindamax®, ...)

      Vaginal clindamycin is used to treat bacterial vaginosis (an infection caused by an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the vagina). Clindamycin is in a class of medications called lincomycin antibiotics. It works by slowi...