Puerperal infections
![](/Images/godic/202502/03/Streptococcus_pyogenes5304.jpg")
![In his 1861 book, Ignaz Semmelweis presented evidence to demonstrate that the advent of pathological anatomy in Vienna in 1823 (vertical line) was correlated to the incidence of fatal childbed fever there. Onset of chlorine handwash in 1847 marked by vertical line. Rates for Dublin maternity hospital, which had no pathological anatomy, is shown for comparison (view rates). His efforts were futile, however.](/Images/godic/202502/03/Yearly_mortality_rates_1784-18495304.png")
![Ignaz Semmelweis, discoverer of the cause of puerperal fever](/Images/godic/202502/03/DBP_1956_244_Semmelweis5304.jpg")
Puerperal infections, also known as postpartum infections, puerperal fever or childbed fever, is any bacterial infection of the female reproductive tract following childbirth or miscarriage. Signs and symptoms usually include a fever greater than 38.0 °C (100.4 °F), chills, lower abdominal pain, and possibly bad-smelling vaginal discharge. It usually occurs after the first 24 hours and within the first ten days following delivery.