In plain words
Postpartum fever is a raised body temperature in the days or weeks after birth. It is one of the warning signs that a mother needs to be seen. Infections are the usual cause. They include , infection of a incision, a urinary infection, , and pneumonia. A cold or flu can cause fever too, and that can make the true source harder to see. Chills, a fast heartbeat, pain in the belly or breast, a wound that looks red or leaks, or foul-smelling discharge can go with it. A fever above the threshold your provider gives you means calling them that day. Fever with a fast heartbeat, trouble breathing, or confusion is an emergency: call 911.
The deeper version
Postpartum fever has an infectious differential that includes endometritis, , urinary tract infection, mastitis, pneumonia, and septic thrombophlebitis, and an incidental viral illness can mask these. Fever is conventionally defined as 38.0 degrees Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) or higher, with exact criteria varying by guideline. Postpartum endometritis is most common after cesarean, with rates that vary widely with prophylaxis and labor status. ACOG Practice Bulletin 195 (2018) on prevention of infection after cesarean delivery describes the risk factors and antibiotic approach that inform surveillance. The main controversy is how aggressively to pursue a cause in mothers with mild fever and an obvious viral illness.
Where it comes up
- Signs of infection after birthPostpartum: Your Body
- Getting sick while postpartumPostpartum: Your Body
- Cesarean recovery, week by weekPostpartum: Your Body
- Keeping ducts clear: prevention habitsFeeding Your Baby
- Postpartum warning signs: the one-page listPostpartum: Your Body
What mothers here say about postpartum fever
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Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — Practice Bulletin 195: Prevention of Infection After Cesarean Delivery (2018)
- World Health Organization — WHO recommendations for prevention and treatment of maternal peripartum infections (2015)