An audit and trial aiming to reduce the rate of surgical site infections for women having a caesarean section

Although birth by caesarean section (CS) is a common procedure, there are a number of potential complications, of which one is surgical site infection (SSI) (Gould, 2007; Wloch et al, 2012). Mortality due to severe maternal sepsis has increased in the UK and is now the leading cause of direct maternal death (UK Obstetric Surveillance System, 2015). Health-care practitioners should be aware of the risk of sepsis following birth by CS. Midwives, doctors and other health professionals need to ‘think sepsis’ and aim to reduce the risk of women developing sepsis following CS (MBRRACE-UK, 2014).

The type of wound dressing used following CS, and the length of time that the wound dressing is left in place, may contribute to an increased risk of infection. Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust decided to complete an audit to identify the number of women who developed an SSI following birth by CS. The audit would also identify how many of these women required readmission to hospital for treatment for the SSI.