Puerperal sepsis is a potential complication of postpartum infections. It is one of the leading causes of postpartum mortality in the world.HealthlineSubscribeParenthoodPregnancyPuerperalInfectionsMedicallyreviewedbyUniversityofIllinois—WrittenbyEmmaNichollsonNovember16,2016SymptomsCausesRiskfactorsDiagnosisComplicationsTreatmentOutlookPreventionWhatisapuerperalinfection?Apuerperalinfectionoccurswhenbacteriainfecttheuterusandsurroundingareasafterawomangivesbirth.It’salsoknownasapostpartuminfection.It’sestimatedthat10percentofpregnancy-relateddeathsintheUnitedStatesarecausedbyinfections.Mortalityratesarethoughttobehigherinareasthatlackpropersanitation.Thereareseveraltypesofpostpartuminfections,including:endometritis:aninfectionoftheuterineliningmyometritis:aninfectionoftheuterinemuscleparametritis:aninfectionoftheareasaroundtheuterusWhatarethesymptomsofapuerperalinfection?Symptomsandsignsmayinclude:feverpaininthelowerabdomenorpelviscausedbyaswollenuterusfoul-smellingvaginaldischargepaleskin,whichcanbeasignoflargevolumebloodlosschillsfeelingsofdiscomfortorillnessheadachelossofappetiteincreasedheartrateSymptomsmaytakeseveraldaystoappear.Sometimesinfectionsmaynotbenoticeableuntilafteryouhaveleftthehospital.It’simportanttolookforsignsofaninfectionevenafteryouhavebeendischarged.Howarepuerperalinfectionscaused?Postpartuminfectionsarelesscommonsincetheintroductionofantisepticsandpenicillin.However,skinflorasuchasStreptococcusorStaphylococcusandotherbacteriastillcauseinfections.Thesethriveinmoistandwarmenvironments.Postpartuminfectionsoftenstartintheuterusafterdelivery.Theuteruscanbecomeinfectediftheamnioticsacbecomesinfected.Theamnioticsacthemembranesthatcontainthefetus.Whataretheriskfactors?Yourriskfordevelopinganinfectionafteryoudeliverisdifferentdependingonthemethodusedtodeliveryourbaby.Yourchanceofcontractinganinfectionis:1to3percentinnormalvaginaldeliveries5to15percentinscheduledcesareandeliveriesperformedbeforelaborbegins15to20percentinnon-scheduledcesareandeliveriesp