What to do for the mother
Watch the mother for signs of womb infection
Healthy signs normal temperature — around 37°C (98.6°F).
Wa r nin g s ig n s
• Fever, 38°C (100.4°F) or higher
• Chills
• Fast pulse
• Heavy bleeding
• Bad-smelling genitals or bleeding
• Pains in the belly
• An ill feeling
If a woman has any of these signs after a birth, she may have a womb infection.
Womb infections are very dangerous — they can quickly kill a woman.
If possible, a woman who may have a womb infection should go to a medical
center right away. She can be tested to find out which antibiotic medicines will
cure her infection. If you cannot get medical help, treat the woman at home.
Giving antibiotics at home
You cannot be sure which germs are causing a womb infection, so you will need to
give 4 antibiotics to kill many different germs. If you do not have all of these
antibiotics, it is better to give only 1 or 2 than none at all.
Give the antibiotics until the signs of infection have been gone for 2 days.
This may take about 5 days altogether.
To treat womb infection
• inject 80 mg gentamicin ������������������������������������������in the muscle,
3 times a day for about 5 days
and
• give 2 g ampicillin ����������������������������������������������������������in the muscle or by mouth for the first dose,
then give1 g ampicillin ����������������������������������������������4 times a day for about 5 days
and
• give 400 to 500 mg metronidazole �����������������by mouth, 3 times a day, for about 5 days
Give these medicines until the woman has had no fever for 2 days (48 hours).
WAR NING! If the woman does not start to feel better within 1 or 2 days,
she may have pieces of the placenta still in her womb. These will need
to be removed. Keep giving her antibiotics and take her to a hospital.
A Book for Midwives (2010)
271