Endometrial biopsy, bacteremia, and endocarditis risk.

Although bacterial endocarditis in women at risk because of endocardial lesions frequently follows pregnancy-related pelvic surgery, endometrial biopsy with or without brushing for cytology was not known to be associated with bacteremia or endocarditis risk. Because a patient who developed acute bacterial endocarditis as a result of endometrial biopsy performed without antibiotic prophylaxis was encountered, 50 subsequent patients undergoing endometrial brushing and biopsy were studied and postprocedure bacteremia was found in four, all of whom were premenopausal.