ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Surg.
Sec. Obstetrics and Gynecological Surgery
Influence of different timeframes of antibiotic application on postoperative infections in patients with caesarean section
Provisionally accepted
- Clinic St. Hedwig, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Background/Objectives: Prophylactic, intravenous antibiotics are a known protective factor for surgery-related infections in patients undergoing caesarean section. This study aims to determine the impact of the timing of antibiotics and their influence on postoperative infection-related morbidity. Application 30 minutes before laparotomy was compared with application after umbilical cord clamping. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 6034 patients giving birth by Caesarean section in University Clinic St. Hedwig, Regensburg. Germany. 3001 cases (2017 – 2019) received a single shot of antibiotics 30 minutes before skin incision (Group 1), whereas in 3033 women delivering by Caesarean section (2021 – 2023) the antibiotic was applied after cord clamping and child development (Group 2). Excluded were 62 cases for showing signs of infection before surgery or having a premature rupture of membranes prior to developing an infection. Results: 20 patients in each group developed surgery-related infections. The calculated Odds Ratio did not differ between groups. The risk for postoperative infection after Caesarean section was 1.6%. Conclusions: In this study there was not found a significant difference between the two examined time points of antibiotic application in the numbers of postoperative infections. The results did not show an increased maternal risk for surgery-related infections by antibiotic application after cord clamping.
Keywords: caesarean section4, postoperative infection1, postpartum infection2, prophylactic antibiotics6, timeframe of antibiotic application5, wound infection3
Received: 15 Jul 2025; Accepted: 18 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Anhalt, Kappelmeyer, Cole, Köninger and Reuschel. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Carolin Ines Anhalt
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