STAPHYLOCOCCI AND INFECTION IN MATERNITY WARDS IV. Studies on A Partial Rooming‐in System

Abstract

SUMMARY Infections and colonization with Staphylococcus aureus were studied in 159 mothers and their newborns. The patients were observed when in hospital, and the mothers were given questionnaires to report symptoms of infection in themselves or their babies during the first weeks after discharge from the hospital. The infection rate measured in this way was high, 27% among the children and 16% among the mothers. Interviews with mothers and reports from child welfare centres that were attended by all children showed, however, that anxious and insecure mothers over‐reported infection symptoms. Such a re‐evaluation reduced the infection rates to 8% among the children and 7% among the mothers. No differences were observed in infection rates and in staphylococcal colonization rates between a ward with a partisal rooming‐in system and a similar ward with conventional care. A less than total rooming‐in system thus does not seem to reduce the infection rate.

Bakterielle Besiedelung des Nabels und der Nase von Neugeborenen mit und ohne primären Hautkontakt beim Anlegen unmittelbar post partum

“…Im Schrifttum finden sich zahlreiche Untersuchungen über die Besie delung des Neugeborenen mit S. aureus [4,7,9,10,12,15,16]; in einigen Arbeiten wurde auch der Einfluss von Voll-bzw. Teil-Rooming-in unter sucht [2,11,13].…”

Staphylococcus aureusColonization and Infection After Discharge from a Term Newborn Nursery

“…from 0.9% to 8%, [1][2][3][4] 27% of patients in one study required rehospitalization for their infections. 2 The role of colonization in the development of infection remains controversial.…”