Childbed Fever (Noun)
Meaning
Serious form of septicemia contracted by a woman during childbirth or abortion (usually attributable to unsanitary conditions); formerly widespread but now uncommon.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- Childbed fever was a leading cause of maternal mortality in the 19th century, particularly in hospitals where unsanitary conditions were prevalent.
- The invention of antiseptic practices significantly reduced the incidence of childbed fever, saving countless lives in the process.
- Hospitals were often breeding grounds for childbed fever, with its victims contracting the infection through unsanitary delivery instruments and unsterilized hands.
- Until the discovery of germs and the introduction of antiseptic practices, childbed fever was a serious threat to women's health during childbirth.
- Ignaz Semmelweis's pioneering work on the prevention of childbed fever was initially met with resistance from medical professionals, who failed to recognize the importance of hand washing.