Infections of the Uterus After Delivery

(Postpartum Infections of the Uterus; Postpartum Uterine Infections)

ByJulie S. Moldenhauer, MD, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Reviewed/Revised Aug 2024
VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION
GET THE QUICK FACTS

Infections that develop after delivery of a baby (postpartum infections) usually begin in the uterus.

  • Bacteria can infect the uterus and surrounding areas soon after delivery.

  • Such infections commonly cause pain in the lower abdomen, fever, and a foul-smelling discharge.

  • Diagnosis is usually based on symptoms and results of a physical examination.

  • Antibiotics usually cure the infection.

After delivery, the uterus may become infected if the membranes containing the fetus (amniotic sac) are infected (called chorioamnionitis).

Uterine infections include

  • Infection of the uterine lining (endometritis)

  • Infection of uterine muscle (myometritis)

  • Infection of the areas around the uterus (parametritis)

Causes of Infections of the Uterus After Delivery

Bacteria that normally live in the healthy vagina can cause an infection after delivery. Conditions that make a woman more likely to develop an infection include the following:

Symptoms of Infections of the Uterus After Delivery

Symptoms of uterine infections commonly include pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis, fever (usually within 1 to 3 days after delivery), paleness, chills, a general feeling of illness or discomfort, and often headache and loss of appetite. The heart rate is often rapid. The uterus is swollen, tender, and soft. Typically, there is a foul-smelling discharge from the vagina, which varies in amount. The discharge may or may not contain blood. But sometimes the only symptom is a low-grade fever.

When the tissues around the uterus are infected, they swell, causing significant discomfort. Women typically have severe pain and a high fever.

Some severe complications can occur but not often. They include the following:

  • Inflammation of the membranes that line the abdomen (peritonitis)

  • Blood clots in the pelvic veins (pelvic thrombophlebitis)

  • A blood clot that travels to the lung and blocks an artery there (pulmonary embolism)

  • High blood levels of poisonous substances (toxins) produced by the infecting bacteria, which lead to sepsis (a bodywide infection) or septic shock

  • A pocket of pus (abscess) in the pelvis

In sepsis and septic shock, blood pressure falls dramatically and the heart rate is very rapid. Severe kidney damage and even death may result.

An abscess in the pelvis may feel like a palpable lump or cause a fever and abdominal pain.

These complications are rare, especially when postpartum fever is diagnosed and treated promptly.

Diagnosis of Infections of the Uterus After Delivery

  • A doctor's evaluation

  • Sometimes imaging tests (such as ultrasound or computed tomography [CT] scan)

An infection of the uterus may be diagnosed based mainly on results of a physical examination. Sometimes an infection is diagnosed when women have had a fever for 24 hours after delivery and no other cause is identified.

Tests are rarely needed but may include culturing a sample of tissue taken from the lining of the uterus and imaging tests, such as ultrasound or CT scan of the abdomen.

Treatment of Infections of the Uterus After Delivery

  • Antibiotics given intravenously

If the uterus is infected, women are usually given antibiotics by vein (intravenously) until they have had no fever for at least 48 hours. Afterward, most women do not need to take antibiotics by mouth.

Before a cesarean delivery, doctors may give women antibiotics shortly before surgery. Such treatment can help prevent infections of the uterus and the areas around it.

quizzes_lightbulb_red
Test your KnowledgeTake a Quiz!
Download the free Merck Manual App iOS ANDROID
Download the free Merck Manual App iOS ANDROID
Download the free Merck Manual App iOS ANDROID