Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41524099›Full record

Trial reportInternational journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics2026

Non-study post-partum antibiotics use and risk of maternal and neonatal infection: A secondary analysis of the A-PLUS randomized controlled trial.

Elizabeth M McClure, Alan T N Tita, Waldemar A Carlo, Sarah Saleem, Janet L Moore, Saleem Jessani, Shiyam Sunder Tikmani, Poonam Shivkumar, Manjushri R Waikar, Archana Patel and 25 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled TrialMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

35 authors.

Elizabeth M McClureSocial, Statistical and Environmental Health Sciences, RTI International, Durham, North Carolina, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8659-5444
Alan T N TitaSchool of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7244-9056
Waldemar A CarloSchool of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5460-9079
Sarah SaleemDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6797-8631
Janet L MooreSocial, Statistical and Environmental Health Sciences, RTI International, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Saleem JessaniDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Shiyam Sunder TikmaniDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8828-8325
Poonam ShivkumarDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram, India.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9060-8065
Manjushri R WaikarDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Government Medical College, Nagpur, India.
Archana PatelLata Medical Research Foundation, Nagpur, India.
Musaku MwenechanyaDepartment of Pediatrics, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.
Elwyn ChombaDepartment of Pediatrics, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.
Avinash KaviKLE Academy of Higher Education and Research's J N Medical College, Belagavi, India.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2176-4697
Mrityunjay C MetgudKLE Academy of Higher Education and Research's J N Medical College, Belagavi, India.
Shivaprasad S GoudarKLE Academy of Higher Education and Research's J N Medical College, Belagavi, India.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8680-7053
Adrien LokangakaKinshasa School of Public Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8609-5877
Antoinette TshefuKinshasa School of Public Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7657-6901
Paul NyongesaSchool of Medicine, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
Fabian EsamaiSchool of Medicine, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2412-9450
Rashidul HaqueInternational Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7626-174X
Sk Masum BillahInternational Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8690-6932
Richard J DermanSchool of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, New South Wales, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1148-1594
Melissa BausermanGlobal Public Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4992-9895
Carl L BoseGlobal Public Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8727-8640
Patricia L HibberdSchool of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7417-6058
Osayame Austine EkhaguereFairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8926-3709
Sherri BucherFairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3236-6421
William A PetriSchool of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7268-1218
Manolo MazariegosInstituto de Nutrición de Centroamérica y Panamá, Guatemala City, Guatemala.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7485-6413
Nancy F KrebsSchool of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, Colorado, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5652-7547
Edwin J AsturiasSchool of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, Colorado, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1275-0787
Jennifer J Hemingway-FodaySocial, Statistical and Environmental Health Sciences, RTI International, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Denise C BabineauSocial, Statistical and Environmental Health Sciences, RTI International, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Marion Koso-ThomasEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2417-3101
Robert L GoldenbergDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1283-8340

Funding

Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research Data Coordinating CenterU24HD092094 · NICHD · RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE · PI Elizabeth M McClure · 2017 to 2026
$17.8M
TJU-JNMC Global Network for Women's & Children's Health Research UnitUG1HD076457 · NICHD · THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY · PI RICHARD J DERMAN · 2018 to 2026
$5.5M
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Gates Foundation U24 HD92904NICHD NIH HHS U24 HD092094NICHD NIH HHS UG1 HD076457
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe randomized trial of azithromycin to reduce maternal and neonatal sepsis (the A-PLUS Trial) found substantial reduction in maternal sepsis among women receiving azithromycin and substantial non-study antibiotic use. This secondary analysis explored the effect modification of non-study antibiotics on azithromycin versus placebo on maternal and newborn infection among A-PLUS participants.

methodsWomen ≥28 weeks gestation in labor and planning a vaginal delivery at a study hospital in seven low- and middle-income countries (Bangladesh, India [two sites], Pakistan, Guatemala, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia) were eligible for inclusion. Non-study antibiotic use was collected prospectively. We estimated the interaction of non-study antibiotics with azithromycin versus placebo on maternal and newborn sepsis.

resultsA total of 29 287 participants were randomized (14 590 to azithromycin; 14 688 to placebo). Maternal infection was reduced among the azithromycin group compared to placebo among those who did not receive non-study antibiotics, with estimated relative risk (RR) 0.58 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48, 0.70), and among those who received non-study antibiotics, with RR 0.80 (95% CI 0.70, 0.91). Similar results were observed for maternal sepsis. Neonatal infection was not significantly reduced in any group. These results were similar when stratified by African and Asian region but not statistically significant.

conclusionOur results suggest a benefit of azithromycin in reducing maternal infection or sepsis across all groups, with a larger reduction in risk among participants who had not received other antibiotics. Given the concerns of inappropriate use of antibiotics, further research is warranted to determine the most effective strategies of reducing risk of infection.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsAzithromycinNeonatal SepsisPregnancy Complications, InfectiousSepsisAdultDeveloping CountriesFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornKenyaPostpartum PeriodPregnancyProspective StudiesYoung AdultAnti-Bacterial AgentsAzithromycinantibioticsazithromycininfectionlow‐and middle‐income countriessepsis

Identifiers

PMID41524099
PMCPMC13474408

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.