1. INFECTION PREVENTION: Infection prevention (IP) has two primary objectives: To prevent major infections
when providing services; To minimize the risk of transmitting serious diseases such as hepatitis B and
HIV/AIDS to the woman and to service providers and staff, including cleaning and housekeeping personnel.
The recommended IP practices are based on the following principles:
- Every person (patient or staff) must be considered potentially infectious.
- Handwashing is the most practical procedure for preventing cross-contamination.
- Wear gloves before touching anything wet - broken skin, mucous membranes, blood or other body fluids
(secretions or excretions).
- Use barriers (protective goggles, face masks or aprons) if splashes and spills of any body fluids
(secretions or excretions) are anticipated.
- Use safe work practices, such as not recapping or bending needles, proper instrument processing
and proper disposal of medical waste.
2. HANDWASHING: Vigorously rub together all surfaces of the hands lathered with plain or antimicrobial
soap. Wash for 15 - 30 seconds and rinse with a stream of running or poured water. Wash hands before and
after examining the woman (or having any direct contact); after exposure to blood or any body fluids
(secretions or excretions), even if gloves were worn; after removing gloves because the gloves may have
holes in them. To encourage handwashing, soap and a continuous supply of clean water should be provided,
either from the tap or a bucket, and single-use towels. Do not use shared towels to dry hands.
3. GLOVES AND GOWNS: Wear gloves when performing a procedure; when handling soiled instruments, gloves
and other items; when disposing of contaminated waste items (cotton, gauze or dressings). A separate pair
of gloves must be used for each woman to avoid cross-contamination. Disposable gloves are preferred, but
where resources are limited, surgical gloves can be reused if they are decontaminated by soaking in 0.5%
chlorine solution for 10 minutes, washed and rinsed or sterilized by autoclaving (eliminates all microorganisms)
or high-level disinfected by steaming or boiling (eliminates all microorganisms except some bacterial endospores).
Note: If single-use disposable surgical gloves are reused, they should not be processed more
than three times because invisible tears may occur. Do not use gloves that are cracked, peeling or have
detectable holes or tears.
A clean, but not necessarily sterile, gown should be worn during all delivery procedures:
- If the gown has long sleeves, the gloves should be put over the gown sleeve to avoid contamination
of the gloves.
- Ensure that gloved hands (high-level disinfected or sterile) are held above the level of the waist
and do not come into contact with the gown.
Glove and gown requirements for common obstetric procedures
Procedure |
Preferred Gloves |
Alternative Gloves |
Gown |
| Blood drawing, starting IV infusion |
Exam |
High-level disinfected surgical |
None |
| Pelvic examination |
Exam |
High-level disinfected surgical |
None |
| Manual vacuum aspiration, dilatation and curettage, colpotomy, repair of
cervical or perineal tears |
High-level disinfected surgical |
Sterile surgical |
None |
| Laparotomy, cesarean section, hysterectomy, repair of
ruptured uterus, salpingectomy, uterine artery ligation, delivery, bimanual compression of uterus, manual removal
of placenta, correcting uterine inversion, instrumental delivery |
Sterile surgical |
High-level disinfected surgical |
Clean, high-level disinfected or sterile |
| Handling and cleaning instruments |
Utility |
Exam or surgical |
None |
| Handling contaminated waste |
Utility |
Exam or surgical |
None |
| Cleaning blood or body fluid spills |
Utility |
Exam or surgical |
None |
Gloves and gowns are not required to be worn to check blood pressure or temperature, or to give injections.
Alternative gloves are generally more expensive and require more preparation than preferred gloves.
Exam gloves are single-use disposable latex gloves. If gloves are reusable, they should be decontaminated,
cleaned and either sterilized or high-level disinfected before use.
Surgical gloves are latex gloves that are sized to fit the hand.
Utility gloves are thick household gloves.
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4. HANDLING SHARP INSTRUMENTS AND NEEDLES:
Operating theaters and labor wards
- Do not leave sharp instruments or needles ("sharps") in places other than "safe zones".
- Tell other workers before passing sharps.
Hypodermic needles and syringes
- Use each needle and syringe only once.
- Do not disassemble needle and syringe after use.
- Do not recap, bend or break needles prior to disposal.
- Dispose of needles and syringes in a puncture-proof container.
- Make hypodermic needles unusable by burning them.
Note: Where disposable needles are not available and recapping is practiced, use the "one-handed"
recap method:
- Place the cap on a hard, flat surface
- Hold the syringe with one hand and use the needle to "scoop up" the cap
- When the cap covers the needle completely, hold the base of the needle and use the other
hand to secure the cap.
5. WASTE DISPOSAL: The purpose of waste disposal is to prevent the spread of infection to hospital
personnel who handle the waste; prevent the spread of infection to the local community; protect those who
handle waste from accidental injury. Non-contaminated waste (e.g. paper from offices, boxes) poses no
infectious risk and can be disposed of according to local guidelines. Proper handling of contaminated
waste (blood- or body fluid-contaminated items) is required to minimize the spread of infection to
hospital personnel and the community. Proper handling means:
- Wearing utility gloves.
- Transporting solid contaminated waste to the disposal site in covered containers.
- Disposing of all sharp items in puncture-resistant containers.
- Carefully pouring liquid waste down a drain or flushable toilet.
- Burning or burying contaminated solid waste.
- Washing hands, gloves and containers after disposal of infectious waste.
6. STARTING AN IV INFUSION: Start an IV infusion (two if the woman is in shock) using a large-bore
(16-gauge or largest available) cannula or needle. Infuse IV fluids (normal saline or Ringer's lactate)
at a rate appropriate for the woman's condition. Note: If the woman is in shock, avoid
using plasma substitutes (e.g. dextran). There is no evidence that plasma substitutes are superior
to normal saline in the resuscitation of a shocked woman and dextran can be harmful in large doses.
If a peripheral vein cannot be cannulated, perform a venous cut-down.
PRINCIPLES FOR PROCEDURES: Before any simple (non-operative) procedure, it is necessary to:
- Gather and prepare all supplies. Missing supplies can disrupt a procedure.
- Explain the procedure and the need for it to the woman and obtain consent.
- Provide adequate pain medication according to the extent of the procedure planned. Estimate the
length of time for the procedure and provide pain medication accordingly.
- Place the patient in a position appropriate for the procedure being performed. The most
common position used for obstetric procedures is the lithotomy position.
- Wash hands with soap and water and put on gloves appropriate for the procedure.
- If the vagina and cervix need to be prepared with an antiseptic for the procedure (e.g. manual
vacuum aspiration).
- Wash the woman's lower abdomen and perineal area with soap and water, if necessary.
- Gently insert a high-level disinfected or sterile speculum or retractor(s) into the vagina.
- Apply antiseptic solution (e.g. iodophors, chlorhexidine) three times to the vagina and cervix
using a high-level disinfected or sterile ring forceps and a cotton or gauze swab.
- If the skin needs to be prepared with an antiseptic for the procedure (e.g. symphysiotomy).
- Wash the area with soap and water, if necessary.
- Apply antiseptic solution (e.g. iodophors, chlorhexidine) three times to the area using a high-level
disinfected or sterile ring forceps and a cotton or gauze swab. If the swab is held with a gloved hand,
care must be taken not to contaminate the glove by touching unprepared skin.
- Begin at the center of the area and work outward in a circular motion away from the area.
- At the edge of the sterile field discard the swab.
- Never go back to the middle of the prepared area with the same swab. Keep your arms and elbows
high and surgical dress away from the surgical field.
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MoonDragon's Health Index Page
