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Episiotomy is the most prevalent surgery in midwifery which can lead to infection or delay in wound healing like any other wound. Prophylactic antibiotics are currently prescribed after episiotomies in most Iranian centers. According to global efforts as well as WHO strategies to reduce antibacterial resistance, antibiotics are only prescribed when there is a definite medical indication and the benefit of taking them outweighs the harm. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the incidence of episiotomy site infection in two groups of primiparas with and without taking prophylactic antibiotics after normal vaginal delivery at Bent Al-Huda Hospital in Bojnourd.

This double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 140 primiparas (70 women in two groups, i.e., cephalexin and placebo capsules) at Bent Al-Huda Hospital in Bojnourd. After episiotomies, the patients took the prescribed medication every 6 hours for 7 days. The wound healing assessment was done by applying the REEDA scale (redness, edema, ecchymosis, discharge, and approximation of wound edges) seven days after the delivery. SPSS 18 were used to analyze the data. P-values below 0.05 were considered significant.

On the seventh day after the delivery, the two groups were different in terms of healing score based on the REEDA scale, and statistically significant differences were observed. The healing score was lower in the antibiotic group compared to the placebo group, indicating a better wound healing.

 The results showed the effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotics in treating episiotomy wounds.