“Infection during pregnancy and during the postpregnancy period is a major health problem for both mom and baby, and a common underlying cause of death,” said Alan T. N. Tita, M.D., Ph.D.; professor in the UAB Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the Center for Women’s Reproductive Health, and principal investigator of the study. “Women who have a C-section are at significantly increased risk for infection compared to those who deliver vaginally. A major national goal is to reduce the risk of infection after surgery, and this finding is the culmination of investigative work over decades.”