Video Transcript
A mother who has just given birth
can be at risk of developing puerperal sepsis. How can this risk be reduced? (A) By constantly changing the
medical team that is delivering the baby and monitoring the mother. (B) By discharging the mother from
the hospital as quickly as possible after delivery. (C) By using sterilized equipment
during childbirth and in examinations.
This question is asking us about
puerperal sepsis, which is a disease that affects the female reproductive
system. Let’s first go over some of the
parts of the female reproductive system so we can answer this question
correctly.
The external part of the
reproductive system is called the genitals. In females, we call this the
vulva. The vagina is the long, muscular
tube that’s involved in sexual intercourse. Past the vagina is the uterus. This is where the unborn baby
develops until birth. Puerperal sepsis is a bacterial
infection of the uterus that can occur after childbirth. This can be caused by a bacteria
called group A streptococcus. This is the same bacteria that
causes tonsillitis, also known as strep throat.
Someone who has this bacteria on
their hands or on their equipment while performing a delivery of a baby can transfer
this bacteria to the vagina. This bacteria can find its way into
the uterus, where it can multiply and cause an infection. This can cause puerperal sepsis,
which has different symptoms, including fever, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, and
abdominal pain. It can be treated by taking
antibiotics to kill the bacteria, but preventing the transfer of this bacteria in
the first place is the better idea. This can be done by using
sterilized equipment or by wearing masks during childbirth. By doing this, the bacteria won’t
be transferred to the female reproductive system, and the risk of puerperal sepsis
is much lower.
Therefore, the correct option that
indicates how the risk of puerperal sepsis can be reduced is given by answer choice
(C): by using sterilized equipment during childbirth and in examinations.
