WHO recommendation on routine antibiotic prophylaxis for women undergoing operative vaginal birth

Overview

The recommendation in this document thus supersedes the previous WHO recommendation on routine antibiotic prophylaxis for women undergoing operative vaginal birth as published in the 2015 guideline WHO recommendations for prevention and treatment of maternal peripartum infections.

The primary audience for this recommendation includes health professionals who are responsible for developing national and local health-care guidelines and protocols (particularly those related to the prevention and treatment of peripartum infections) and those involved in the provision of care to women and their newborns during labour and childbirth, including midwives, nurses, general medical practitioners and obstetricians, as well as managers of maternal and child health programmes, and relevant staff in ministries of health and training institutions, in all settings.