Risk Factors for Intrapartum Fever in Term Gestations and Associated Maternal and Neonatal Sequelae

Aim: To determine factors associated with intrapartum fever and to examine associated maternal and neonatal outcomes. Methods: Retrospective study of patients between 360/7 and 420/7 gestational weeks who entered spontaneous or induced active labor and developed temperature ≥38°C; a similar group that did not develop fever were controls. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with p Results: Fifty-four febrile patients and 306 nonfebrile controls met inclusion criteria. Nulligravidity (45.8 vs. 77.8%, p p p p p p = 0.014), and meperidine (14.7 vs. 35.2%, p p = 0.001), Apgar score p = 0.011), and neonatal intensive care unit admission (9.5 vs. 51.9%, p Conclusion: We have identified several noninfectious factors that are associated with intrapartum fever. Modification of risk factors may improve both maternal and neonatal outcomes.