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The Role of Intrapartum Fever in Identifying Asymptomatic Term Neonates With Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis

Journal of Perinatology volume 22, pages 653–657 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of intrapartum fever in identifying asymptomatic term neonates with early-onset neonatal sepsis.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of all term neonates with sepsis over a 7-year period to evaluate the significance of symptoms at delivery and intrapartum sepsis risks factors in identifying neonates with sepsis.

RESULTS: Fifty-three of 90 term neonates with sepsis (59%) were asymptomatic at delivery. Thirty-five of 53 asymptomatic term neonates (66%) met criteria for sepsis evaluations and 18 (34%) were evaluated when symptoms developed after delivery. Among the 35 asymptomatic term neonates meeting criteria for sepsis evaluations, 14 (40%) had evaluations because of intrapartum fever. Thus, 14 of 53 (26%) asymptomatic term neonates with sepsis (30% of GBS sepsis and 11% of non-GBS sepsis) would not have been evaluated if intrapartum fever were ignored.

CONCLUSION: Over half of term neonates with sepsis were asymptomatic at delivery. Intrapartum fever was helpful in identifying over a quarter of asymptomatic term neonates with sepsis.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Andrew Onderdonk and Margaret McLaughlin for their assistance with the microbiology laboratory database, Ruth Tuomala and Eric Eichenwald for consultation, and Audrey Ho for data abstraction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics, Division of Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Katherine T Chen MD, MPH, Amy P Cohen BA & Ellice Lieberman MD, DrPH

  2. Department of Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Steven Ringer MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Katherine T Chen MD, MPH
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  2. Steven Ringer MD, PhD
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  3. Amy P Cohen BA
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  4. Ellice Lieberman MD, DrPH
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Chen, K., Ringer, S., Cohen, A. et al. The Role of Intrapartum Fever in Identifying Asymptomatic Term Neonates With Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis. J Perinatol 22, 653–657 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7210818

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