WHO recommendations for prevention and treatment of maternal peripartum infections

The World Health Organization (WHO) has produced these guidelines to prevent and treat maternal peripartum infections. Peripartum is the period around the time of birth - occurring during the last month of gestation or the first few months after delivery, with reference to the mother.  Maternal peripartum infections, also known as bacterial infections, are the leading cause of maternal death worldwide and associated with an estimated 1 million newborn deaths each year. This document consolidates guidance for effective interventions that are needed to reduce the global burden of maternal infections and their complications around the time of childbirth.  It presents evidence-based recommendations on priority preventative interventions, including the prevention and treatment of genital tract infections during labour, childbirth, and the postnatal period.  The recommendations also address both the appropriate and the inappropriate use of antibiotics for prevention and treatment of peripartum infections. The target audience for this guideline is health professionals who are responsible for developing health protocols and policies as well as managers of maternal and child health programmes and policy-makers in all settings. The guideline will also be useful to those directly providing care to pregnant women, including obstetricians, midwives, nurses and general practitioners. To download the guidelines, click here. World Health Organization. (2015). WHO recommendations for prevention and treatment of maternal peripartum infections. Geneva: WHO.