Risk Factors for Intrapartum Fever of Infectious Origin and Maternal and Neonatal Morbidity

Abstract

Background: Intrapartum fever defined as temperature ? 38 C occurs in 1.6-14.6% of pregnancies and may be caused by an infectious or inflammatory process. The aim of this study was to analyze the possible risk factors and the neonatal and maternal morbidity-mortality in both cases.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study, including full-term singleton cephalic presentation pregnant women who gave birth in the Donostia University Hospital during 2017 - 2018 and developed fever ? 38 C. Infectious intrapartum fever was classified by the presence of positive urine, blood or placenta culture or pathological placenta while fever of inflammatory etiology was classified by negative cultures.

Results: Women over 32 years of age (odds ratio (OR): 3.07, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35 - 7) and those with labor duration between fever presentation to delivery > 6 h (OR: 6.11, 95% CI: 1.35 - 27.62) had a statistically significant increased risk of presenting fever of infectious origin. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Conclusions: This study found a significant association between maternal age > 32 years old and labor duration > 6 h from fever onset to birth and a higher risk of maternal infectious fever.

J Clin Gynecol Obstet. 2022;11(2):33-38
doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jcgo794