Obstetric sepsis: Clinical pearls for diagnosis and management.

Sepsis is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early recognition and treatment improve outcomes. Multiple sepsis diagnostic screening tools are available and may be used in clinical practice; however, early thorough bedside evaluation of the patient is fundamental.

Interleukin (IL)-6: A Friend or Foe of Pregnancy and Parturition? Evidence From Functional Studies in Fetal Membrane Cells.

Objective: Protection of the fetus within the amniotic sac is primarily attained by remodeling fetal membrane (amniochorion) cells through cyclic epithelial to mesenchymal and mesenchymal to epithelial (EMT and MET) transitions. Endocrine and paracrine factors regulate EMT and MET during pregnancy. At term, increased oxidative stress forces a terminal state of EMT and inflammation, predisposing to membrane weakening and rupture.

The impact of low-dose versus high-dose antibiotic prophylaxis regimens on surgical site infection rates after cesarean delivery.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if high-dose antibiotic prophylaxis with cefazolin decreases the risk of surgical site infection (SSI) after a cesarean delivery.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of women who underwent a cesarean section. Two preoperative antibiotic regimens were compared: low dose versus high dose.

Quality Improvement Initiative to Reduce Time from Regional Anesthesia Placement to Delivery for Cesarean Delivery.

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the impact of a quality improvement (QI) initiative on the regional anesthesia placement-to-infant delivery time during cesarean delivery (CD).

Study Design: We performed a quality improvement trial. Before June 18, 2018, the preoperative protocol was as follows: the anesthesiologist administered regional anesthesia in the operating room then the nurse placed the Foley's catheter, clipped pubic hair, precleaned the abdomen, and abdominal preparation.

Performance of Risk Assessment Models for Peripartum Thromboprophylaxis.

Objective: There is no consensus on which risk stratification approach to use for thromboprophylaxis in pregnancy, and most available risk assessment models (RAMs) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) events have not been validated in pregnancy. Our objective was to compare the performance of some of the most commonly used VTEs RAMs in our patient population in the peripartum period.

Study Design: This is a retrospective cohort of women who delivered at our institution in 2015 and 2016.