[Nosocomial infections of gynecologic-obstetrical origin at a perinatal care hospital].

Nosocomial infections (NI) are still a major cause of morbidity among gynecology & obstetrics patients (GOP). At the Instituto Nacional de Perinatología (INPer), during 1989, there was an overall NI rate of 2.37 per 100 GOP discharged, while specific NI rates for the subgroups of puerperal and gynecologic surgery patients were 2.11 and 6.3 respectively. Endometritis and infected surgical wounds were the most frequent type of NI, having a multimicrobial etiology. There was a significant increase in hospital days of stay for those patients who developed NI. It is clearly necessary to improve the surveillance of NI as well as the collaboration among different wards dealing with GOP, in order to find more effective and efficient ways to prevent the development of NI.