ABSTRACT
While endometritis following spontaneous vaginal delivery is a relatively rare event, endomyometritis is a common postpartum complication following Cesarean section. If prophylactic antibiotics are not used, the incidence of post-cesarean endomyometritis varies from a low of 15% to a high of 65%. In general, the lowest incidence of infection occurs in middle-and upper-income women undergoing scheduled elective abdominal delivery; the highest incidence of infection occurs in young, indigent patients having surgery after extended duration of labor and ruptured fetal membranes. Use of prophylactic antibiotics at the time of abdominal delivery usually reduces the number of postoperative infections by approximately 50 to 60%. Approximately 15% of women with endomyometritis will have a documented bacteremia. If disease is not aggressively treated, pelvic abscess, septic thrombophlebitis, septic shock and adult respiratory distress may ensue.
