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Pyrexia in pregnancy

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

There are many causes of pyrexia in pregnancy.

Seek expert advice.

Management includes:

  • monitoring the temperature

  • consider causes of pyrexia and treat appropriately

  • blood cultures should be considered in any pregnant patient with a pyrexia of 38øC or over which doesn't resolve within 48 hours unless the illness can be confidently attributed to some other cause

  • evaluation
    • seriously ill patients need hospital admission
    • consider referral with persistent fever

  • antibiotics - consider a broad spectrum antibiotic such as amoxicillin- or erythyromycin if allergic to penicillin - in pregnant women with pyrexia of 38 degrees centigrade for 48 hours or more without waiting blood culture result (1)
    • co-amoxiclav (if not penicillin allergic) is suggested in the management of pyrexia in labour of unknown origin (37.8°C or greater) or puerperal sepsis (2)
    • check local prescribing guidelines for suggested antibiotic treatment

  • assess foetal wellbeing with CTG and ultrasound if necessary

Reference:

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