Abstract
Background: The current study aimed at describing the incidence, etiology of surgical site infections (SSI), and compliance with
antibiotic prophylaxis in cesarean section during a 3.5 years period in a community hospital.
Methods: Prospective data were collected to monitor the incidence of SSI and compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis in 450 patients
undergoing the procedure from January 2013 to June 2016.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 31.8 years, 14.3% had diabetes mellitus, 4.73% had overweight, and 54.4% of the procedures
were elective; also, 69.8% of the procedures had risk index (RI) 0, 26.3% RI1, and 16 patients had RI 2 and 3. Nine patients with SSI were
reported, 8 with superficial incisional and 1 organ-space infections. The pooled infection rate in 2013 was 4.44%, followed by 1 .10% in
2014, 1.52% in 2015, and 2.56% in January to June 2016; in addition, 1.04% of the study subjects were RI 0 and 4.50% RI 1. Methicillinresistant
Staphylococcus aureus was identified in 2 patients, and Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
and Klebsiella pneumonia in 1 patient, respectively. Compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis increased from 53.5% in 2013 to 94.9%in
January to June 2016.
Conclusions: The current study findings showed the effect o f a multidimensional program to prevent surgical site infection in
cesarean section, and the need to strengthen it.