Postpartum haemorrhage and emergencies: antibiotics for postpartum endometritis: practice question

A OBG question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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OBG · Postpartum haemorrhage and emergencies: antibiotics for postpartum endometritis

Sample item

On day 3 after a caesarean following prolonged labour, a woman has temperature 39 degrees C, uterine tenderness and foul lochia. Which regimen is standard first-line?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Intravenous clindamycin plus gentamicin

Postpartum endometritis is polymicrobial, with aerobes and anaerobes, and needs broad-spectrum intravenous treatment. Clindamycin with gentamicin is a standard regimen, continued until the woman is afebrile for about 24 to 48 hours.

Option by option

  • A. Oral ciprofloxacin alone

    Oral ciprofloxacin alone lacks reliable anaerobic and streptococcal cover and is a poor choice.

  • B. Intravenous metronidazole alone

    Metronidazole alone covers anaerobes only.

  • C. Oral amoxicillin alone

    Oral amoxicillin alone lacks adequate gram-negative and anaerobic cover for this infection.

  • D. Intravenous clindamycin plus gentamicin (correct)

    Correct. Clindamycin covers anaerobes and gentamicin covers gram-negative aerobes.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More OBG questions

Questions about this OBG question

What is the answer to this OBG question?

The best answer is D, Intravenous clindamycin plus gentamicin. Postpartum endometritis is polymicrobial, with aerobes and anaerobes, and needs broad-spectrum intravenous treatment.

Why is "Oral ciprofloxacin alone" not the answer?

Oral ciprofloxacin alone lacks reliable anaerobic and streptococcal cover and is a poor choice.

Why is "Intravenous metronidazole alone" not the answer?

Metronidazole alone covers anaerobes only.

Why is "Oral amoxicillin alone" not the answer?

Oral amoxicillin alone lacks adequate gram-negative and anaerobic cover for this infection.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Postpartum haemorrhage and emergencies: antibiotics for postpartum endometritis in OBG. Clindamycin with gentamicin is a standard regimen, continued until the woman is afebrile for about 24 to 48 hours.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Postpartum haemorrhage and emergencies: antibiotics for postpartum endometritis?

Learn management algorithms as steps: PPH, eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy. Then use the flashcards and the other OBG questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.