PREVENTION OF NEONATAL INFECTIONS BY VAGINAL CHLORHEXIDINE DISINFECTION DURING LABOR

Comparison of two different methods of vaginal disinfection was made w ith regard to prevention of neonatal infections. In method I, an antep artum vaginal douche with a chlorhexidine solution was used; method II involved the use of chlorfiexidine gluconate obstetrical gel during v aginal exploration. We studied 2853 normal deliveries from a total num ber of 3236 deliveries: 1467 deliveries were allocated randomly to rec eive a vaginal douche whereas 1386 underwent vaginal exploration using chlorhexidine gel. A total of 203 neonates were transferred to the ne onatal unit (120 males and 83 females): 101 belonged to the group wher e the mothers were subjected to method I, whereas in 102 method II had been used. Within 48 h postpartum 30 neonates from the method I group and 34 neonates from the method II group received systemic antibiotic s. There was a tendency towards a higher proportion of full-term neona tes with verified septicaemia in the method II group (6 versus 2), whe reas the numbers of probable infections were 8 versus 12. The correspo nding total numbers in preterm infants were 3 and 2, respectively. The se differences were not statistically significant. We conclude that th e use of chlorhexidine douche compared with vaginal exploration with c hlorhexidine gel provides no additional advantages.