Septic abortions usually result from use of nonsterile techniques for uterine evacuation after induced or spontaneous abortion. Septic abortions are much more common after induced abortion done by untrained practitioners (or the pregnant woman herself) and without adequate surgical equipment and sterile preparation, usually because there are legal, health care access, or personal barriers to receiving professional medical care.
Typical causative organisms include Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Proteus vulgaris, hemolytic streptococci, staphylococci, and some anaerobic organisms (eg, Clostridium perfringens). One or more organisms may be involved.
Symptoms and Signs of Septic Abortion
Symptoms and signs of septic abortion typically appear within 24 to 48 hours after abortion and are similar to those of pelvic inflammatory disease Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a polymicrobial infection of the upper female genital tract: the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries; abscess may occur. PID may be caused by sexually... read more (eg, chills, fever, vaginal discharge, often peritonitis) and often those of threatened or incomplete abortion (eg, vaginal bleeding, cervical dilation, passage of products of conception). Perforation of the uterus during the abortion typically causes severe abdominal pain.
Septic shock Sepsis and Septic Shock Sepsis is a clinical syndrome of life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated response to infection. In septic shock, there is critical reduction in tissue perfusion; acute failure... read more may result, causing hypothermia, hypotension, oliguria, and respiratory distress. Sepsis due to C. perfringens may result in thrombocytopenia, ecchymoses, and findings of intravascular hemolysis (eg, anuria, anemia, jaundice, hemoglobinuria, hemosiderinuria).
Diagnosis of Septic Abortion
Vital signs and pelvic and abdominal examination
Blood cultures to guide antibiotic therapy
Complete blood count and other tests to evaluate patient status
Ultrasonography
Septic abortion is usually obvious clinically, typically based on finding symptoms and signs of severe infection in women who are or recently were pregnant. Ultrasonography should be done to check for retained products of conception as a possible cause. Uterine perforation should be suspected when women have unexplained severe abdominal pain and peritonitis. Ultrasonography is insensitive for detecting perforation.
When septic abortion is suspected, aerobic and anaerobic cultures of blood are done to help direct antibiotic therapy. Laboratory tests should include complete blood count (CBC) with differential, liver function tests, electrolyte levels, glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine. Prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) are done if liver test results are abnormal or if women have excessive bleeding.
Treatment of Septic Abortion
Intensive empiric broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy (eg, clindamycin plus gentamicin with or without ampicillin)
Uterine evacuation
Treatment of septic abortion is intensive broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy plus uterine evacuation as soon as possible. A typical empiric antibiotic regimen includes clindamycin 900 mg IV every 8 hours plus gentamicin 5 mg/kg IV once a day, with or without ampicillin 2 g IV every 4 hours. Alternatively, a combination of ampicillin, gentamicin, and metronidazole 500 mg IV every 8 hours can be used. Antibiotic regimen may be modified based on culture results.
Key Points
Septic abortions usually result from use of nonsterile techniques for uterine evacuation after induced or spontaneous abortion; they are much more common after induced abortion procedures done by untrained practitioners using nonsterile techniques.
Symptoms and signs (eg, chills, fever, vaginal discharge, peritonitis, vaginal bleeding) typically appear within 24 to 48 hours after an abortion.
If septic abortion is suspected, do blood cultures to guide antibiotic therapy.
Treat with broad-spectrum antibiotics plus prompt uterine evacuation.
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
| Drug Name | Select Trade |
|---|---|
urea |
Aluvea , BP-50% Urea , BP-K50, Carmol, CEM-Urea, Cerovel, DermacinRx Urea, Epimide-50, Gord Urea, Gordons Urea, Hydro 35 , Hydro 40, Kerafoam, Kerafoam 42, Keralac, Keralac Nailstik, Keratol, Keratol Plus, Kerol, Kerol AD, Kerol ZX, Latrix, Mectalyte, Nutraplus, RE Urea 40, RE Urea 50 , Rea Lo, Remeven, RE-U40, RYNODERM , U40, U-Kera, Ultra Mide 25, Ultralytic-2, Umecta, Umecta Nail Film, URALISS, Uramaxin , Uramaxin GT, Urea, Ureacin-10, Ureacin-20, Urealac , Ureaphil, Uredeb, URE-K , Uremez-40, Ure-Na, Uresol, Utopic, Vanamide, Xurea, X-VIATE |
clindamycin |
Cleocin, Cleocin Ovules, Cleocin Pediatric, Cleocin T, CLIN, Clindacin ETZ, Clindacin-P, Clinda-Derm , Clindagel, ClindaMax, ClindaReach, Clindesse, Clindets, Evoclin, PledgaClin, XACIATO |
gentamicin |
Garamycin, Genoptic, Genoptic SOP, Gentacidin, Gentafair, Gentak , Gentasol, Ocu-Mycin |
ampicillin |
Principen |
metronidazole |
Flagyl, Flagyl ER, Flagyl RTU, MetroCream, MetroGel, MetroGel Vaginal, MetroLotion, Noritate, NUVESSA, Nydamax, Rosadan, Rozex, Vandazole, Vitazol |
