Cesarean deliveries are very common today, with almost one in three babies born by cesarean in some countries. Antibiotics are routinely given before or during the surgery to reduce the risk of infections, but some women still suffer from these complications. Between one in four and one in 10 women develop an infection of the uterus (endometritis) or a problem with their skin incision, respectively. These complications slow recovery from the surgery and may affect the mother's ability to take care of her baby. Other interventions are needed to further reduce the risk of infections of the uterus and wound problems after cesarean delivery.
This review found that cleansing the vagina with an antiseptic solution immediately before the cesarean delivery reduced the risk of post-cesarean infection of the uterus (womb). The benefit was greater if the woman's water had already broken (the membranes had ruptured). This review did not find that vaginal cleansing reduced the number of women experiencing fever or wound complications after cesarean delivery. The antiseptic was povidone-iodine, and no adverse events such as allergy or irritation were noted in any of the four randomized trials, reporting on 1198 women, from vaginal preparation solution.