I read an article about 10 years ago that suggested that foul smelling amniotic fluid was NOT a strong risk factor for sepsis (I remember this well because this went against my residency teaching-either that or I am losing my faculties!). The article stated the smelliest bugs at delivery were not usually the ones that caused the most trouble in infants. Am I losing my mind or can anyone else recall this?

I often teach students and I want to have my facts straight. I was able to find a few studies with small samples that listed smelly fluid as a risk factor. On the Cochrane database the article on neonatal sepsis lists chorioamnionitis as a risk but says nothing specifically about smelly fluid.

Thanks, Mike

Interesting question, I have searched Pubmed in&out without any success.

Let's hope someone else, with good memory or better Pubmed skills, can find out.

Strong memories are usually correct!

Foul smelling amniotic fluid was one of the significant risk factors for sepsis in studies by Shah GS et. al. (Kathmandu Univ Med Journal 2006; 4:2 (14): 187-191) and Betty C (Indian J Pediatr 2005; 72:23-26) and is considered a major risk factor for sepsis in my centre in Enugu, Nigeria. I think that teaching stands, and of course it does parallel maternal chorioamnionitis.

From memory -only One reterospective study with large numbers from Harbor-UCLA showed foul smelling as a minor risk. In this old study (~25-30 years back) they assigned 1, 2 or 3 number to low , mod and high risk facors and patient above certains numbers (total) were treated.

Dr Hodgeman from LACounty - USC used to say "anerobic infections cause foul smelling but not neonatal sepsis and GBS-Ecoli do not smell"

Dr Hodgeman from LACounty - USC used to say "anerobic infections cause foul smelling but not neonatal sepsis and GBS-Ecoli do not smell"

I searched for the study mentioned above but could not find the paper.

But (I know, this is OT), I found the obituary of Dr Hodgeman.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/17/local/me-hodgman17

Thank you all for your input. Mike