PROBLEM
A woman has a fever
(temperature 38°C or more) occurring more than 24 hours after delivery.
GENERAL MANAGEMENT
Encourage bed rest.
Ensure adequate
hydration by mouth or IV.
Use a fan or tepid
sponge to help decrease temperature.
If shock is
suspected, immediately begin treatment. Even if signs of shock are not
present, keep shock in mind as you evaluate the woman further because her
status may worsen rapidly. If shock develops, it is important to
begin treatment immediately.
DIAGNOSIS
TABLE S-14 Diagnosis of fever after childbirth
Presenting Symptom and Other Symptoms and Signs Typically Present |
Symptoms and Signs Sometimes Present |
Probable Diagnosis |
Fever/chills
Lower abdominal pain
Purulent, foul-smelling lochia
Tender uterus |
Lighta
vaginal bleeding
Shock
|
Metritis |
a
Light bleeding: takes longer than 5 minutes for a clean pad or cloth
to be soaked. |
Lower abdominal
pain and distension
Persistent spiking fever/chills
Tender uterus |
Poor response to
antibiotics
Swelling in adnexa or pouch of Douglas
Pus obtained upon culdocentesis |
Pelvic abscess |
Low-grade
fever/chills
Lower abdominal pain
Absent bowel sounds |
Rebound
tenderness
Abdominal distension
Anorexia
Nausea/vomiting
Shock |
Peritonitis |
Breast pain and
tenderness
35 days after delivery |
Hard enlarged
breasts
Both breasts affected |
Breast engorgement |
Breast pain and
tenderness
Reddened, wedge-shaped area on breast
34 weeks after delivery |
Inflammation
preceded by engorgement
Usually only one breast affected |
Mastitis |
Firm, very tender
breast
Overlying erythema |
Fluctuant
swelling in breast
Draining pus |
Breast abscess |
Unusually tender
wound with bloody or serous discharge |
Slight erythema
extending beyond edge of incision |
Wound abscess,
wound seroma or wound haematoma |
Painful and
tender wound
Erythema and oedema beyond edge of incision |
Hardened wound
Purulent discharge
Reddened area around wound |
Wound cellulitis |
Dysuria
Increased frequency and urgency of urination |
Retropubic/suprapubic
pain
Abdominal pain |
Cystitis |
Dysuria
Spiking fever/chills
Increased frequency and urgency of urination
Abdominal pain |
Retropubic/suprapubic
pain
Loin pain/tenderness
Tenderness in rib cage
Anorexia
Nausea/vomiting |
Acute
pyelonephritis |
Spiking fever
despite antibiotics |
Calf muscle
tenderness |
Deep vein
thrombosis a |
a
Give
heparin infusion |
Fever
Difficulty in breathing
Cough with expectoration
Chest pain |
Consolidation
Congested throat
Rapid breathing
Rhonchi/rales |
Pneumonia |
Fever
Decreased breath sounds |
Typically occurs
postoperative |
Atelectasis
b |
b
Encourage ambulation and deep breathing. Antibiotics are not
necessary. |
Fever
Chills/rigors
Headache
Muscle/joint pain |
Enlarged spleen |
Uncomplicated
malaria |
Symptoms and
signs of uncomplicated malaria
Coma
Anaemia |
Convulsions
Jaundice |
Severe/complicated
malaria |
Fever
Headache
Dry cough
Malaise
Anorexia
Enlarged spleen |
Confusion
Stupor |
Typhoid
c |
c
Give ampicillin 1 g by mouth four times per day OR amoxicillin 1 g
by mouth three times per day for 14 days. Alternative therapy will
depend on local sensitivity patterns |
Fever
Malaise
Anorexia
Nausea
Dark urine and pale stool
Jaundice
Enlarged liver |
Muscle/joint pain
Urticaria
Enlarged spleen |
Hepatitis
d |
d
Provide supportive therapy and observe. |
MANAGEMENT
METRITIS
Metritis is infection of the uterus after delivery and is a major cause of
maternal death. Delayed or inadequate treatment of metritis may result in
pelvic abscess, peritonitis, septic shock, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary
embolism, chronic pelvic infection with recurrent pelvic pain and
dyspareunia, tubal blockage and infertility.
Transfuse as
necessary. Use packed cells, if available.
Give a combination
of antibiotics until the woman is fever-free for 48 hours:
- ampicillin 2 g IV
every 6 hours;
- PLUS gentamicin 5
mg/kg body weight IV every 24 hours;
- PLUS metronidazole
500 mg IV every 8 hours;
- If fever is
still present 72 hours after initiating antibiotics, re-evaluate and
revise diagnosis.
Note: Oral
antibiotics are not necessary after stopping IV antibiotics.
If retained
placental fragments are suspected, perform a digital exploration of
the uterus to remove clots and large pieces. Use ovum forceps or a large
curette if required.
If there is no
improvement with conservative measures and there are signs of
general peritonitis (fever, rebound tenderness, abdominal
pain), perform a laparotomy to drain thepus.
If the uterus is
necrotic and septic, perform subtotal hysterectomy.
PELVIC ABSCESS
Give a combination of antibiotics before draining the abscess and
continue until the woman is fever-free for 48 hours:
- ampicillin 2 g IV
every 6 hours;
- PLUS gentamicin 5
mg/kg body weight IV every 24 hours;
- PLUS metronidazole
500 mg IV every 8 hours.
If the abscess is
fluctuant in the cul-de-sac, drain the pus through the cul-de-sac. If
the spiking fever continues, perform a laparotomy.
PERITONITIS
Provide nasogastric suction.
Infuse IV fluids.
Give a combination
of antibiotics until the woman is fever-free for 48 hours:
- ampicillin 2 g IV
every 6 hours;
- PLUS gentamicin 5
mg/kg body weight IV every 24 hours;
- PLUS metronidazole
500 mg IV every 8 hours.
If necessary,
perform laparotomy for peritoneal lavage (wash-out).
BREAST ENGORGEMENT
Breast engorgement is an exaggeration of the lymphatic and venous
engorgement that occurs prior to lactation. It is not the result of
overdistension of the breast with milk.
BREASTFEEDING
If the woman is breastfeeding and the baby is not able to
suckle, encourage the woman to express milk by hand or with a pump.
If the woman is
breastfeeding and the baby is able to suckle:
- Encourage the
woman to breastfeed more frequently, using both breasts at each feeding;
- Show the woman how
to hold the baby and help it attach;
- Relief measures
before feeding may include:
- Apply warm
compresses to the breasts just before breastfeeding, or encourage the
woman to take a warm shower;
- Massage the
womans neck and back;
- Have the woman
express some milk manually prior to breastfeeding and wet the nipple
area to help the baby latch on properly and easily;
- Relief measures
after feeding may include:
- Support breasts
with a binder or brassiere;
- Apply cold
compress to the breasts between feedings to reduce swelling and pain;
- Give paracetamol
500 mg by mouth as needed;
- Follow up 3 days
after initiating management to ensure response.
NOT BREASTFEEDING
If the woman is not breastfeeding:
- Support breasts
with a binder or brassiere;
- Apply cold
compresses to the breasts to reduce swelling and pain;
- Avoid massaging or
applying heat to the breasts;
- Avoid stimulating
the nipples;
- Give paracetamol
500 mg by mouth as needed;
- Follow up 3 days
after initiating management to ensure response.
BREAST INFECTION
MASTITIS
Treat with antibiotics:
- cloxacillin 500 mg
by mouth four times per day for 10 days;
- OR erythromycin
250 mg by mouth three times per day for 10 days.
Encourage the woman
to:
- continue
breastfeeding;
- support breasts
with a binder or brassiere;
- apply cold
compresses to the breasts between feedings to reduce swelling and pain.
Give paracetamol 500
mg by mouth as needed.
Follow up 3 days
after initiating management to ensure response.
BREAST ABSCESS
Treat with antibiotics:
- cloxacillin 500 mg
by mouth four times per day for 10 days;
- OR erythromycin
250 mg by mouth three times per day for 10 days.
Drain the abscess:
- General
anaesthesia (e.g. ketamine) is usually required;
- Make the incision
radially extending from near the alveolar margin towards the periphery
of the breast to avoid injury to the milk ducts;
- Wearing high-level
disinfected gloves, use a finger or tissue forceps to break up the
pockets of pus;
- Loosely pack the
cavity with gauze;
- Remove the gauze
pack after 24 hours and replace with a smaller gauze pack.
If there is still
pus in the cavity, place a small gauze pack in the cavity and bring
the edge out through the wound as a wick to facilitate drainage of any
remaining pus.
Encourage the woman
to:
- continue
breastfeeding even when there is collection of pus;
- support breasts
with a binder or brassiere;
- apply cold
compresses to the breasts between feedings to reduce swelling and pain.
Give paracetamol 500
mg by mouth as needed.
Follow up 3 days
after initiating management to ensure response.
INFECTION OF PERINEAL AND ABDOMINAL WOUNDS
WOUND ABSCESS, WOUND SEROMA AND WOUND HAEMATOMA
If there is pus or fluid, open and drain the wound.
Remove infected skin
or subcutaneous sutures and debride the wound. Do not remove fascial
sutures.
If there is an
abscess without cellulitis, antibiotics are not required.
Place a damp
dressing in the wound and have the woman return to change the dressing
every 24 hours.
Advise the woman on
the need for good hygiene and to wear clean pads or cloths that she
changes often.
WOUND CELLULITIS AND NECROTIZING FASCIITIS
If there is fluid or pus, open and drain the wound.
Remove infected skin
or subcutaneous sutures and debride the wound. Do not remove fascial
sutures.
If infection is
superficial and does not involve deep tissues, monitor for development
of an abscess and give a combination of antibiotics:
- ampicillin 500 mg
by mouth four times per day for 5 days;
- PLUS metronidazole
400 mg by mouth three times per day for 5 days.
If the infection
is deep, involves muscles and is causing necrosis (necrotizing
fasciitis), give a combination of antibiotics until necrotic tissue has
been removed and the woman is
fever-free for 48 hours:
- penicillin G 2
million units IV every 6 hours;
- PLUS gentamicin 5
mg/kg body weight IV every 24 hours;
- PLUS metronidazole
500 mg IV every 8 hours;
- Once the woman
is fever-free for 48 hours, give:
- ampicillin 500
mg by mouth four times per day for 5 days;
- PLUS
metronidazole 400 mg by mouth three times per day for 5 days.
Note:
Necrotizing fasciitis requires wide surgical debridement. Perform
secondary closure 24 weeks later, depending on resolution of infection.
If the woman has
a severe infection or necrotizing fasciitis, admit her to the hospital
for management and change wound dressing twice daily. |