Committee opinion no. 465: antimicrobial prophylaxis for cesarean delivery: timing of administration

Abstract

Antimicrobial prophylaxis for cesarean delivery has been a general practice for cesarean deliveries because it significantly reduces postoperative maternal infectious morbidity. Recently, several randomized clinical trials investigated the timing of antimicrobial prophylaxis for cesarean delivery. The Committee on Obstetric Practice recommends antimicrobial prophylaxis for all cesarean deliveries unless the patient is already receiving appropriate antibiotics (eg, for chorioamnionitis) and that prophylaxis should be administered within 60 minutes of the start of the cesarean delivery.