Vaginal Prep
In a Nutshell
A "vaginal prep" means cleaning the vaginal canal with antiseptic can help prevent an infection prior to a cesarean birth. Some medical facilities only do a vaginal prep if the amniotic sac is ruptured before birth and some prep all non-emergent cases. Your care provider may inform you they are doing it or they may not. It's important to know you can consent to or refuse this procedure.
Dig Deeper
Any time the skin barrier is broken, such as an incision during a cesarean birth, there is a risk of infection. The amniotic sac, when intact, protects your uterus and baby from infection since the uterus is a sterile environment. When your waters break, that protection is gone.
Some medical facilities have a policy to perform a “vaginal prep” prior to the incision for a cesarean birth.
The Process
Once you are in the operating room, your anesthesiologist with place a spinal block, which w
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