Internal fetal monitoring and maternal infection following cesarean section. A prospective study.

A prospective clinical and microbiologic study was performed on 419 patients undergoing cesarean section. A multivariant analysis revealed that labor, rupture of the membranes, and vaginal examinations each had a much greater relative importance than did internal monitoring in determining infection. In an alternative analysis, patients with internal monitoring had no increase in frequency or severity of infection, beyond that imposed by labor and rupture of membranes. Further, endometrial cultures from patients developing infection after internal monitoring were found to have the same bacteria as the cultures of patients developing infection without monitoring.