OB/GYN Clinical Alert – March 1, 2023

Vaginal Cleansing at the Time of Cesarean Delivery to Prevent Puerperal Infection

Povidone-iodine (Betadine) vaginal cleansing prior to an unplanned cesarean delivery for labor-related indications did not lessen the postoperative infectious morbidity, and, therefore, its regular use in women having a cesarean delivery for labor-related indications is not supported.

Second Trimester Induction of Labor: Do Multiple Prior Cesarean Deliveries Increase the Risk of Complications?

In this retrospective cohort study among patients who underwent second trimester induction of labor for fetal demise or pregnancy termination, those with two or more prior cesarean deliveries had an increased risk of uterine rupture (6.25%) compared to those with one prior cesarean delivery (0%) or no prior cesarean delivery (0%) (P = 0.004).

Identifying High-Risk Cancer Patients Through Appropriate Screening

Less than 20% of average-risk women receive guideline-adherent cervical cancer screening, and guideline-adherent screening was highest for primary human papillomavirus testing.

Breast Milk Feeding Among Women Who Had Been Infected with SARS-CoV-2 During Their Pregnancy

Both breast milk feeding during the postpartum hospital stay and infant rooming-in during this time were common in the five states studied from March 29 to Dec. 31, 2020, among the births that occurred to women who had a laboratory-confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 during their pregnancy.