Vaginal Cleansing Before Cesarean Delivery for the Prevention of Endometritis and Surgical site Infection

Objective: Aim of the study was to compare the frequency of endometritis and surgical site infection in vaginal cleansing group versus control in patients presenting for emergency cesarean delivery. Study design: Randomized control trial.Place and duration of the study: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore. From: 28th September 2018 to 28th march 2019.Methodology: A total number of 400 females undergoing cesarean section. Two groups were made, each patient was randomly assigned by lottery method into one of the two groups Group A and Group B. Vaginal area of Group A was cleaned with a povidone-iodine soaked vaginal swab for 30 seconds and the Group B was not cleaned prior to cesarean section. Both groups were followed for up to 7th postoperative day till the removal of stitches for any postoperative surgical site infection and 6 weeks postpartum after puerperium for any postoperative endometritis. Results: In our study, out of 400 cases (200 in each group), the frequency of endometritis in Group-A was 2.5% and in Group-B 22% (n=11), p value was 0.0007, while surgical site infection was 1.5% (n=3) in Group-A and 5.5% (n=11) in Group-B, p value was 0.02. Conclusion: Vaginal cleansing significantly reduces the risk of endometritis and surgical site infection when compared to those of control group in patients presenting for emergency cesarean delivery.