These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Semmelweis: the combat against puerperal fever.
    Author: Adriaanse AH, Pel M, Bleker OP.
    Journal: Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol; 2000 Jun; 90(2):153-8. PubMed ID: 10825634.
    Abstract:
    Groups A and B streptococci are of great significance in the history of obstetrics. Group A streptococci were a great threat to the puerperium, especially in the 19th century, when homebirth was replaced by institutional birth in lying-in hospitals. The history of the rise and fall of puerperal fever is indeed a tragedy. Some people, like Semmelweis, who brought new and important evidence based findings were not believed by their fellow obstetricians, an attitude that spoiled thousands of innocent lives. Even today group A streptococci, though seldom, may be the cause of puerperal sepsis. Group B streptococci are widespread and may cause sepsis and important lifelong morbidity or mortality of the newborn. Obstetricians today try to establish cost-effective prophylactic measures during labor to prevent these neonatal infections.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]