Neonatal conjunctivitis

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Eye

Newborn conjunctivitis; Conjunctivitis of the newborn; Ophthalmia neonatorum

Treatment of a pregnant woman for sexually-transmitted diseases will prevent conjunctivitis in the neonate. Even if the mother's infection has not been recognized, prophylactic eye drops put into the infant's eyes immediately after birth help prevent many infections, and these drops are used routinely for all births.

A cesarean section is recommended when the mother has active herpes lesions at the time of delivery. Antibiotics, given intravenously, may be given to infants of mothers with untreated gonorrhea. However, antibiotic eye drops may not prevent chlamydial conjunctivitis.

Review Date: 08/18/2006
Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.