Comparative Study on Short Term and Long Term Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Obstetrics and Gynaecological Surgeries

Background: Postoperative infections remain a significant challenge in obstetrics andgynecological surgeries, leading to increased hospital stays and healthcare costs.Antibiotic prophylaxis aims to reduce microbial colonization during surgery. Thisstudy compares the effectiveness of short-term and long-term antibiotic regimens inpreventing infections following elective caesarean sections and abdominalhysterectomies. Methods: An interventional prospective study was conducted over ayear with 100 participants. Group 1 (50 patients) received a short-term regimen ofceftriaxone, while Group 2 (50 patients) underwent a long-term regimen. Key metrics,including wound infection rates, febrile morbidity, duration of hospital stay, and theneed for additional antibiotics, were analyzed. Results: Wound infections were morefrequent in Group 1 (14%) compared to Group 2 (2%), with febrile morbidity similarlyhigher in Group 1 (16% vs. 4%). The mean hospital stay was significantly shorter forGroup 1 (3.12 days vs. 5.24 days). However, Group 2 demonstrated better infectioncontrol overall. Conclusion: While both regimens were effective, the short-termregimen was associated with reduced hospital stay and costs but increased infectionrates. Long-term antibiotics offered superior infection control but at the expense ofprolonged hospitalization and higher risk of nosocomial infections. Patient selectionremains critical in determining the appropriate prophylactic approach.