Blood and amniotic fluid contact sustained by obstetric personnel during deliveries.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to characterize blood and amniotic fluid contact sustained by obstetric personnel during deliveries.

STUDY

DESIGN

Trained observers collected data on 1376 person procedures during 230 deliveries at Grady Memorial Hospital from May to October 1989. Rates of contact were compared by means of the chi 2 test.

RESULTS

At least one blood or amniotic fluid contact occurred during 79 (39.1%) of 202 vaginal and 14 (50.0%) of 28 cesarean deliveries; a needle stick occurred in 4 (2.0%) of the vaginal deliveries. Obstetricians and midwives had the highest rates of blood and amniotic fluid contact (18.7% and 28.8% of person procedures, respectively). Half of the contacts sustained by midwives might have been prevented by the use of gowns. Most contacts sustained by obstetricians might have been prevented by face shields, impervious gowns, and impervious shoe covers.

CONCLUSIONS

Obstetricians and midwives had substantial risk of blood and amniotic fluid contact during delivery; many of their contacts were potentially preventable.