Intrapartum bacteriuria and postpartum endometritis.

Ten gravidas with bacteriuria in the immediate antepartum period subsequently delivered vaginally and did not receive antibiotic therapy. Four of these women developed postpartum endometritis and in three of them, the same Enterobacteriaceae recovered from the urine was present in the endometrial cultures. Of the 1233 study subjects whose screening urine cultures were negative and who delivered vaginally, 27 (2.2%) developed endometritis. Intrapartum bacteriuria was significantly associated with postpartum endometritis in women delivering vaginally (P less than .001). Monitoring for asymptomatic bacteriuria and eradicating it in pregnancy should diminish the occurrence of endometritis and possible endomyometritis in the postpartum period.