A Comparative study on the Efficacy of Povidone-Iodine and Chlorhexidine as Skin Antiseptic Agents for Reducing Surgical Site Infection following Caesarean Delivery

Caesarean delivery is considered to be a major obstetrical surgical procedure that aims at saving the lives of both mothers and fetuses. Even though many complications may accompany a Caesarean delivery, the most common complication is surgical site infection (SSI). The rate at which SSI occurs after Caesarean delivery varies from 3% to 15% across the world. ▪ SSI that accompanies a Caesarean delivery may escalate the rate of maternal mortality and morbidity. Additionally, for a mother who is trying to recover from the Caesarean procedure, the occurrence of SSI could be quite frustrating. There is a possibility that it may lead to an unnecessary extension of maternal hospitalization. As a result, the cost associated with health and personal care may increase and there may be other socio-economic repercussions. ▪ It has been reported that identifying risk factors, specifically those factors which can be adjusted like appropriate skin preparation prior to the surgery and utilization of well-defined surgical techniques have proven to have a direct impact on the rate of surgical site infections. The present study is to compare the effect of Povidone-Iodine and Chlorhexidine in lowering the risk of SSI after caesarean section and to assess the effects of Povidone-Iodine and Chlorhexidine in patients with obstetric high-risk factors such as obesity, Gestational diabetes, Gestational hypertension, previous Caesarean section, Premature Rupture of Membrane, Chorioamnionitis and Medical comorbidities like Anemia, hypothyroid, heart disease, seizure disorder, bronchial asthma and renal disorder. ▪ The study involved 940 pregnant women, split into two groups of 470 each. One group received Povidone-iodine and the other group received Chlorhexidine for pre-operative skin preparation. Out of the 940 participants, 43 of them had Surgical Site infection after Caesarean delivery, which comprises about 4.57% of the entire population. Out of the 43 patients who had surgical site infections, 29 (6.17%) belonged to the ...