(1)
Department of Family Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
Key Points
1.
Labor may be complicated by maternal infection with associated maternal and neonatal risk.
2.
Management of maternal fever requires a knowledge of the common sources of infection and appropriate antibiotic coverage for those organisms.
3.
Management of maternal infection requires an awareness of the risks and benefits of antibiotic use in pregnancy.
Background
Maternal fever (T ≥ 38°C, 100.4°F) during the course of labor is surprisingly uncommon given the number of potential pathogens in the genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) tracts and the nonsterile conditions of labor and delivery. Despite the relative rarity of maternal fever, providers should monitor maternal temperature regularly and be prepared to intervene appropriately if maternal fever develops. The use of epidural anesthesia is the most common source of fever in labor.
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