Document Type
Article
Department
Internal Medicine (East Africa); Brain and Mind Institute
Abstract
Background: Surgical site infection is a common healthcare-associated infection that affects maternal health, yet it can be prevented or controlled. Caesarian sections are most likely to develop surgical site infections. The rates of delivery by caesarian section in reported to be higher that the acceptable rates in some healthcare facilities. Risk factors for surgical site infections can be identified and modified to reduce the occurrence of surgical site infections. This study aims to determine the risk factors that contribute to surgical site infections post caesarian section in a tertiary teaching hospital in Kenya.
Methods: This was a retrospective case-control (1:2 matched) study conducted between 1st November 2021 to 31st October 2022 at a tertiary hospital in Nairobi. Data was extracted on surgical site risk factors as per World Health Organization’s recommended preoperative measures, for both cases and controls. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the variables and the Chi-squared test and Fisher’s Exact test were used for group comparisons.
Results: A total of 1,262 caesarian deliveries were performed, 2.1% (27/1262) of which developed surgical site infections post caesarian section. The risk factors identified were not significantly associated with surgical site infection development (gestational age P1⁄40.152, body mass index P1⁄40.615, premature rupture of membranes P1⁄40.253, and antibiotic prophylaxis P1⁄40.108).
Conclusions: There was no significant association of exposure to surgical site infection risk factors with surgical site infection despite a positive trend. Other prospective methods should also be used in addition to chart reviews to determine the level of effect each risk factor has on surgical site infection.
Publication (Name of Journal)
Infection Prevention in Practice
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infpip.2023.100333
Recommended Citation
Odada, D.,
Shah, J.,
Mbithi, A.,
Shah, R.
(2023). Surgical site infections post cesarean section and associated risk factors: a retrospective case-control study at a tertiary hospital in Kenya. Infection Prevention in Practice, 6(1), 1-8.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_fhs_mc_intern_med/359
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.