Significant bacteriuria in the puerperium: a prospective study of the risk factors.

The rate of significant bacteriuria in the puerperium was studied prospectively in 3554 women who were delivered at the State Maternity Hospital. The influence of catheterisation during labour and before Caesarean section, urinary tract infection during pregnancy, puerperal endometritis and impaired glucose metabolism on the rate of significant postpartum bacteriuria was studied. Catheterisation significantly increased the rate of significant bacteriuria in patients who were delivered vaginally. A single catheterisation before Caesarean section did not increase the incidence of significant bacteriuria in comparison with the incidence of patients not catheterised before surgery. Patients with urinary tract infection diagnosed during pregnancy are at risk of developing significant postpartum bacteriuria. Patients with postpartum endometritis had twice the rate of significant bacteriuria than patients not developing postpartum endometritis, but the difference was not statistically significant. The presence of impaired glucose metabolism did not affect the rate of significant postpartum bacteriuria.