The influence of perinatal infective factors on ophthalmia neonatorum.

Background: Ophthalmia neonatorum still blinds approximately 10,000 babies annually worldwide. Identification of contributory maternal perinatal factors could possibly predict which babies are at greater risk for this disease.

Methods: In a randomized prospective study of ophthalmia neonatorum in Kenya, we studied the effect of prophylaxis with povidone-iodine, silver nitrate, and erythromycin in 3117 neonates.