Infection Control Practices and Program Management in Labor and Delivery Units: A Cross-Sectional Study From Iran

Although Iranian women increasingly attend hospitals for childbirth, no information is available on programs and practices related to infection control in labor and delivery units. This study aims to investigate infection control program management and midwives’ practices in labor and delivery units. We analyzed data related to infection control program management and also practices performed by 88 midwives in four labor and delivery units in public hospitals in Zahedan, southeast Iran. The evaluation scores for all aspects of infection control were suboptimal; infection control program management 38.1% to 71.4%, healthcare workers post-exposure measures 58.5% to 92.7%, medical waste management 73.9% to 87.0% and infection control related standard infrastructures and equipments 55.9% to 82.8%. The midwives mean scores for attending infection control training courses and hand hygiene were less than 40% of the maximum score, but the mean scores for normal vaginal deliveries scrub, and equipments and instruments hygiene practices were generally above 70%. The results of this study revealed a need for development of appropriate policies and protocols for infection control practices in labor and delivery units and also midwives training on clean delivery practices.