Postpartum Fever (American College of Physicians PIER)
Although maternal deaths are uncommon, infection accounts for 15% of postpartum deaths, and early identification and prompt treatment should decrease morbidity and mortality. All postpartum women should be screened for fever, and special risk factors for postpartum infections should be noted to ensure early identification and treatment.

Consider fever in a postpartum woman when the oral temperature is 38.5° C (101.3° F) in the first 24 hours after delivery and the oral temperature is 38° C (100.4° F) or higher for at least 4 consecutive hours after the first 24 hours after delivery. Clinical judgment and close follow-up are needed in assessing the importance of temperature elevations lower than those stated, because some of these patients may ultimately develop clinically important infections.

This activity includes prevention (consider using prophylactic antibiotics to prevent the development of postpartum infection), screening, diagnosis, consultation for diagnosis, hospitalization, non-drug and drug therapy, patient education, consultation for management, and follow-up.

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