To investigate the effect of antibiotic use time for prevention of infection after cesarean section.

Total of 243 cases of cesarean delivery mothers from February 2012 to October 2014 were divided into group A, B and C: patients in group A were given intravenous drip of antibiotics for 30 min preoperative, patients in group B were given intravenous drip of antibiotics for 30 min preoperative and for 3 d postoperative, patients in group C were given intravenous drip of antibiotics for 3 d postoperative.

The hospital stay of were significantly shorter and hospital cost were significantly lower of patients in group A and group B compared than those of group C (t = 13.603, 27.024, 13.367 and 7.939; P = 0.000, 0.000, 0.000 and 0.008). The hospital cost of patients in group A was significantly lower than that of group B (t = 18.019, P = 0.000). The physiological and pathological indexes and incision healing: the highest temperature, WBC count and CRP levels of patients in group A and B were significantly lower than those of group C (t = 27.322, 1 333.269, 21.327, 16.484, 119.541 and 17.689, P = 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000 and 0.000). The WBC count and levels of CRP of patients of group A were significantly lower than those of group B (t = 16.037, 4.557;P = 0.000, 0.038). Postoperative infection: the infection rates of patients in group A and B were significantly lower than that of group C (4.94% vs 6.17% vs 17.28%) (χ² = 4.830, 6.250; P = 0.032, 0.026).

Cesarean section before 30 min prophylactic use of antibiotics could reduce inflammatory reaction and complications, promote healing of incision, shorten hospitalization time and cut down the cost of hospitalization. It’s an ideal way to prevent infection after cesarean section.